d the one word--

"Pilate."

Then a loud burst of talking came upon us, sounding as it doubled by
striking and echoing from the rocks. My blood ran cold once more, for I
thought that my exclamation had been heard, and that the enemy was
talking about and watching the opening of our shelter.

Then the noise grew louder, and some dispute seemed to be on the way,
while, what was worse, the sounds did not pass on, showing that the crew
of the junk, for I felt that it must be they, had returned and stopped
just in front of where we crouched.

Where we were was dark enough to keep any one from seeing us if he
looked in from the bright sunshine; but I knew that, sooner or later, if
the men stayed where they were, some one was sure to come prying about,
and would see the place. How long, then, would it be ere we were
discovered, and had to meet our terrible fate after all?

"You thinkee get out other way?" said Ching at last, with his lips to my
ear.

"I think not," I whispered back.

"Mustn't look out this way," he whispered again. "You go light to end
and look see if pilate going stop."

I was so eager to get an observation of the enemy, that I hurriedly
crept along the narrow passage. I say hurriedly, but my progress was
very slow, for I had to worm my way over fallen stones, some of which
were loose, and I was in constant dread of making a sound which might
betray us.

But I got to the end in safety, and had to mount up over a large narrow
wedge-like piece which filled up the end; the opening, dim and partly
stopped with some kind of growth outside, being quite ten feet from the
sandy bottom.

And all this while the murmur of voices from outside came indistinctly,
till I was at the top of the wedge, when the talking grew suddenly
louder.

I hesitated for a few moments, and then, feeling sure that I was safe, I
placed my face to the opening, parted the tough plant a little, and then
a little more, so as not to attract attention; and at last, with a
bright yellow daisy-like growth all about my face, I peered out, to see
that the enemy had quietly settled down there to smoke, not thirty yards
from our hiding-place, while some were settling themselves to sleep, and
again others to eat biscuits similar to those we had found.

They evidently meant to stay, and if our wounded companion began his
delirious mutterings again, I knew that, although a fellow-countryman
might be spared, my career was at an end.

I