, and it shows that the river isn't far off. I wish there were
none, and then we'd cut down some bamboos and float away to the village.
But not to-night. Let's go to sleep."

There was again silence, with the hot air growing unbearable, and Ned
had just made up his mind to undress, when from out of the jungle,
plainly heard through the thin plaited bamboo and palm walls, came a
peculiar cry--_Coo-ow_, _coo-ow_--to be answered from farther away.

"What's that?" said Ned, half aloud, speaking to himself.

"Argus pheasant," said Frank, drowsily. "Oh, I do wish you wouldn't
bother. Wonder whether they've got any of that stuff."

"What stuff?"

"To send us to sleep again."

"I wouldn't take a drop," thought Ned; and then in the hot silence he
lay thinking about Frank's father, wondering what was going on at the
rajah's village, and what his uncle thought of his absence, till weary
nature closed his eyes, and even the loud cry of the argus pheasant and
the melancholy howl of a tiger prowling about had no effect upon his
slumbers.

But a touch effected that which sound had not produced.

For, mingled with his dreams, he had one of a great rat gnawing very
softly somewhere by his head, and this kept on for what seemed in his
dream like a tremendous length of time before it ceased, and the rat
came in through the hole and began walking over his face and sat up on
his lips.

That woke him, and he felt the perspiration standing on his brow, for it
was no dream: the rat was seated on his lips, and as he lay motionless
like one in a nightmare, he felt the little animal glide from his lips
to his shoulder, then down his arm to where his hand lay upon his chest,
play with the fingers for a few moments, and then grasp them firmly.

It was not a rat: it was a warm soft hand.

A sob escaped from Ned's breast, and he was about to speak, but his hand
was pressed firmly, and he returned the grasp, for it felt like the hand
of a friend, and if it were, it meant help and perhaps escape.

Turning quickly on his side, he leaned over and touched Frank, who
started awake.

"Yes," he said loudly. "What is it?"

The hand was snatched away.

"I told you. Argus pheas--fez--fuz--" snore.

Ned shook him again sharply.

"What's the matter?" he said, thoroughly waking up now.

"Hush! pray. Hist!" whispered Ned; and he pressed his companion's arm,
for steps were heard on the creaking bamboo floor, a light shone through
betwee