ct in the
Cavern of Skulls, we had reduced that number to one, while the bullet in
Leith's shoulder would depreciate his fighting ability for some time.
Outside the carriers, who, as far as we knew, were neutral in the
matter, we had as opponents, Leith, One Eye, Soma, and the dancer whose
hand had been punctured by Kaipi, and the knowledge that we were more
evenly matched brought us some consolation.

But the fact that Edith and Barbara Herndon were in the power of the
scoundrel brought thoughts that cast a damper upon the little scrap of
joy we derived from reckoning up the casualties of the enemy. The
passion which Leith displayed after receiving Holman's bullet made us
run forward like madmen each time we recalled the diabolical frenzy that
he exhibited. We could not think of a good plan to circumvent the brute.
The jungle hampered and maddened us, and although we knew that we had
gone about our work in a blundering fashion, the circumstances were such
that we could not improve our strategy in the future.

We plunged on till nearly midnight, then Holman called a halt.

"We must sleep," he said. "One can watch while the other two get some
rest."

Kaipi, who declared that he was never less inclined for slumber, agreed
to take first watch, and Holman and I flung ourselves down upon the
grass. We had had no slumber on the previous night, and the incidents in
which we had taken part had left us exhausted.

It was daybreak before Kaipi awakened us, and the face of the Fijian
informed us that something had alarmed him. He was stretched full length
on the ground, listening as only a native can listen, and we waited for
his report. We had much respect for Kaipi's hearing after checking the
signals he made concerning the approaching "tivo" dancer on the previous
afternoon.

"What is it?" asked Holman.

"Some one go by, much hurry," murmured the Fijian.

We crouched in the bushes and listened. It was hardly likely that Leith
had changed his route, and the only person that we knew to be in our
neighbourhood was the dancer.

"If we could get hold of him we might use the third degree on him to
guide us to the spot that Leith is making for," said Holman. "We'll be
outgeneralled completely if he gets into those caverns on the hills. If
he has provisions he can snap his fingers at a regiment."

I agreed with him on that point. The valley inside the basalt cliffs,
and which, as far as we could judge, could only be entered