n the mat hangings, a dark face appeared and a lantern was held
up, so that its dim light fell upon them.

Just then a bright thought occurred to Ned.

"Tell them to bring some water," he said, querulously; and Frank, who
grasped the idea that there was something particular in the way, gave
the order sharply to the man, who retired directly, and returned in a
few minutes with another bearing a vessel of some pleasant, cool drink,
of which Ned partook with avidity.

"Leave a fellow a drop," said Frank; and the half-full vessel was handed
to him. "Ah, it ain't bad," he continued, as he too drank heartily.
"There, be off. Thank you," he added, in Malay; "the light hurts my
eyes."

The man smiled as he took the vessel, and as Ned watched through his
half-closed eyes, he saw that there was the gleam of spears in the outer
room. Then the matting dropped behind their jailers, the bamboo floor
creaked, the last rays of the light disappeared, and Frank rose softly,
crept to the doorway, and peered under the matting.

"They're all out on the veranda," he whispered, as he returned. "What
was the matter?"

Ned told him, and Frank uttered an excited "Ah!"

Then after a long silence:

"It's help come. P'r'aps it's old Hamet. Bah! you were dreaming."

"No; I am sure."

"Then," said Frank, with his lips close to his companion's ear; "if you
were awake, there must be a hole for the hand to come through."

And as Ned listened, he heard the faint rustling of his companion's hand
moving here and there, and then there was a heavy catching breath, and
Frank's fingers were placed over his lips.

"Big hole under the mat. Behind your head. Hist! some one coming."

For there was a gleam of light, and then, hardly heard, save for a faint
creak of the floor, some one approached, and Ned lay with his arm over
his eyes, just making out that the lantern was thrust in, and that a
head was visible between the mats and the door, while Frank lay as
naturally as if in a heavy sleep, his head half off its resting-place.

The mats fell within again. There was another faint creak, the last
gleam of light again disappeared, and the boys lay for a full half-hour
without moving, while the silence was now broken by the heavy beating of
their hearts.

All at once, after an interval which seemed terrible, the cry of the
argus pheasant was repeated, and it sounded terribly near, while at the
same moment Ned was conscious of a faint rustli