l, that's us."

Charlie appealed to Amir Ali, but the Indian shrugged his shoulders and
declared that he had not kept the sense of direction, supposing that the
sahibs had done so. As neither boy had followed the compass, the
instruments were of little use to them.

"Plain fact of the matter is, we're lost," announced Charlie. "If we
fired our guns we'd get the General down on us soon enough, but it'd
scare off the rogue."

"Be a heap more likely to bring _him_ down on us," grunted Jack. "We've
got to find the bunch before the General gets sore, Chuck."

Charlie suggested following their track back, but of course this proved
impracticable. There were clumps of mimosa thorn in every direction,
each similar to that which they had first headed for. They had left no
tracks on the bare, rocky soil, and the grass had closed behind them in
the wind.

The tired Amir Ali squatted down to rest, while with their glasses they
searched in every direction. They thought of the smoke from the
camp-fire, but this was invisible behind the trees. In the distance
moved a herd of zebra and another of impalla, but this was the only
indication of life that they could find.

"We'll hear the General shooting pretty soon," said Charlie disgustedly.
"What's that over in those trees? Looks like an old native village."

"Let's go over an' see," suggested Jack. "We can camp down there and
build a fire. That'll draw the General quicker'n shots would. They might
get the rogue's notice."

"Ain't so eager," grinned Charlie. "What's the matter? Nerve failed
you?"

"No," confessed the other. "It's all right chasing along when you know
the rest of them are right behind. But to get stuck off somewhere all by
yourself isn't so soothing. Guess we won't monkey with that rogue till
the General comes along."

They started across the slope to where a few of the ruined huts showed
the location of a former village. This, when they reached it, proved to
be of large extent, a few huts yet standing, others lying in over-grown
mounds amid the trees. To their right extended fairly open plain, while
at the left the heavier forest and bamboo patches closed in almost to
the village.

Jack set about building a fire to send up a smoke-signal, while Charlie
wandered through the desolate village. Suddenly he came upon something
that surprised him. Lying in a half-cleared space were the half-burned
sticks and the ashes of a fire. Plainly, they had been there for w