ut a spot which will suit us to a T, if we can
but reach it in time. It's an old ruined town, goodness knows how
ancient; nobody lives there now, and there are thousands of ruined
houses and plenty of underground passages where we can hide, if we can
only get there unseen."

Breath being precious, the pair wasted no more in talk, but saved it all
for the long run before them. Side by side they dashed along at top
speed, sometimes colliding with trees, or stumbling over stones and
creepers, until they were bruised from head to foot, but never once
halting.

When they were beginning to hope that they might be out-distancing the
pursuit, a deep, bell-like note floating down the wind warned them that
the pirates possessed bloodhounds, and that the dogs were hard upon
their trail. Frobisher took out his revolver and spun the cylinder to
satisfy himself that it was loaded, and then thrust it back into his
pocket. If those dogs came within shot, he would take care that they
hunted no more prisoners.

"How far ahead now?" he panted, when they had been running for another
half-hour at top speed.

"About five miles," grunted Drake, who was feeling the strain even more
than Frobisher. "We should be there in about half an hour at this
pace--if we can keep it up. Hope I shall be able to hold out. I'm not
in such good form as I once was. Getting old, too. If I can't keep up,
you push on, lad; and I'll try to keep 'em back with my pistol."

"Likely, isn't it?" replied Frobisher ironically. "If you can't hold
out, of course I shall stay and face it out with you: but do all you
can; we must not give in at the last moment."

On and on they plunged, and at last they began to find the jungle
thinning out, so that the going was a little easier, and their pace
consequently increased; but they could tell by the frequent,
deep-throated baying that the dogs were gaining on them steadily. They
dashed out of the forest altogether at last; and away in front of them,
on the right bank of the mighty Hoang-ho, its houses gleaming spectrally
in the moonlight, stood the ruined city that Drake had referred to, not
more than two miles distant--a very haven of refuge, as Frobisher could
easily imagine, if they could but reach it; for it was of considerable
extent, and, once lost in its labyrinthine streets or underground
passages, the pirates might search for them in vain.

They had not heard the dogs for some minutes, and, hoping that