ld not lie
still to be counted.

His further thoughts were put an end to by a low groan from his
companion in misfortune, who suddenly made an effort and rolled himself
over so that he lay face to face with his young master.

"Oh, I say, sir," he whispered, with a look of horror in his eyes,
"ain't this awful!"

Jack nodded.

"My wristies and ankles are nearly cut through."

"So are mine."

"Have they got your gun as well as mine?"

Jack nodded, keeping his eyes on the lithe, shiny bodies of the hungry
blacks the while, but they were too much intent upon feasting to take
any notice of their prisoners.

"They must have fetched me an awful crack on the head, sir. Did they
hit you too?"

"Yes, my head aches horribly, Ned. Look, there are our guns standing up
against the rock with their spears."

"And bows and arrows too, sir. Ugh! gives me the shivers. Poisoned!"

"Ned, do you think we could get at our guns and make a dash to escape?"

"What, and risk the arrows?"

"Yes. Once we could get amongst the trees we should have as good a
chance of getting away as they would of catching us."

"Don't know so much about that, sir. They ain't got no clothes to catch
in the thorns and creepers."

"But you'll try?"

"Try, sir! I should think I would; only I'd wait till it got dark
first."

"By that time we may not be alive, Ned."

"Oh yes, we shall, sir. If they'd been going to kill us they wouldn't
have taken the trouble to tie us like this."

"You are saying that to cheer me up, Ned," whispered Jack.

"No, sir, 'strue as goodness I ain't. It's just what I mean. But I'm
ready to do anything you do if I can. Legs hurt you, sir, where they're
tied?"

"Horribly, Ned."

"So do mine, sir, and so does one hand and wrist. T'other don't seem of
any consequence at all. It's ever so much number than it was before, so
that it don't ache a bit."

They lay there for some time watching the blacks, who kept on eating as
if they would never leave off. Every now and then one went round to the
back of the stones which formed their rough fire-place, and helped
himself to more, returning to sit down and go on eating with the
customary result. Thoroughly glutted at last, first one and then
another sank back and went to sleep where he had sat eating, till not
one seemed to be on the watch, and Jack looked full in the eyes of his
companion in misfortune, questioning him.

"I'd wait just a bit longer to let 'e