ng brass-studded stick, and his general
description answers to the tall man who fought the other two in the
museum. Then I followed the goat-boy who got the message from the goat,
and the boy handed the message to a man, and this man took it to
Appoyas, and finally my suspicions were confirmed when I heard Appoyas
addressed by name in the cave last night," explained Burton.

"It must have been pleasant listening to your own death-sentence!"
remarked the Doctor.

"I am glad I heard it," said Burton, "for never was it more true than in
my case that to be fore-warned is to be fore-armed. Two traps have been
already laid this morning to get me away from the Salt Range, and--I
believe here is another," he said, as a coolie came at the trot with a
telegram in his hand.

"Come at once. Most serious. Mirkwort," read out Burton, as soon as the
coolie had retired. "This pretends to be a message ordering my speedy
return to headquarters, and I shall make a pretence of going, but I
shall soon be back in this neighbourhood in disguise," he added.

"How do you know it is an attempt to get you away?" asked the Doctor.

"Because I requested Mirkwort to use a cypher in all his communications
for some days, and this is not in cypher," replied Burton. "But to
persist in staying here would only cause Appoyas to suspect that I am
about to take some decisive steps. I have twenty men around here now,
and as soon as it is dark to-night some of them will watch the house of
Appoyas in the village on the top of the cliffs, for I feel convinced
there is an entrance to the cave from his house.

"At the foot of the cliffs and immediately under the village there is
another entrance through a house built against the rocks, and other men
will watch there. I shall be near the camp at nightfall, together with
some specially picked men who will have arrived by that time, and we
shall enter the cave by what I will call the porcupine entrance, and,
once inside--well, we have to rescue Mark and capture as many of the
gang as we can. We must take all precautionary measures, for I do not
know how many rascals we shall have to contend with, and that cave is
like a rabbit-warren. Expect me as a Fakir at dusk. I will send for you
when the time comes," and as Burton clattered away on his horse the camp
understood that he had been called to headquarters on important
business.

It was about nine o'clock and very dark when Burton, with a number of
his men, th