alf-hauled half-scrambled up, to fall
down blinded and suffocated almost, only able to point below.

I saw them lower the scarf again, and after what seemed a tremendous
time Jimmy's black figure appeared.

Almost at the same moment there were tongues of flame mingled with the
smoke, and Jimmy threw himself down and rolled over and over, sobbing
and crying.

"Burn um hot um. Oh, burn um--burn um--burn um!"

There was a loud roar and a rush of flame and smoke out of the rift,
followed by what seemed to be a downpour of the smoke that hung over us
like a canopy, just as if it was all being sucked back, and then the
fire appeared to be smouldering, and up through the smoke that now rose
slowly came the dank strange smell of exploded powder and the sounds of
voices talking eagerly, but coming like a whisper to where we lay.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

HOW THE DOCTOR SAID "THANK YOU" IN A VERY QUIET WAY.

For some little time we did nothing but lie there blackened and half
choked, blinded almost, listening to the sound that came up that rift,
for the question now was whether the savages would know that we were
there, or would attribute the roar to that of some fierce beast that
their fire and smoke had destroyed.

The voices came up in a confused gabble, and we felt that if the blacks
came up the rift we could easily beat them back; but if they came round
by some other way to the rocky patch of forest where we were, our state
was so pitiable that we could offer no defence.

Jimmy had been applying cool leaves to his legs for some minutes as we
lay almost where we had thrown ourselves, seeming to want to do nothing
but breathe the fresh air, when all at once he came to where the doctor
and I now rested ourselves upon our elbows and were watching the smoke
that came up gently now and rose right above the trees.

"Jimmy no hurt now. Roast black fellow," he said grinning. "Jimmy know
powder go bang pop! down slow."

"Yes," said the doctor. "I was trying to get that last canister when I
was overcome by the smoke, and just managed to reach the bottom of the
rift. Who was it saved me?"

"Jimmy-Jimmy!" said the black proudly.

"My brave fellow!" cried the doctor, catching the black's hand.

"Jimmy come 'long Mass Joe. Haul Mass doctor up. Mass doctor no wiggle
Jimmy 'gain, eat much pig."

The doctor did not answer, for he had turned to me and taken my hand.

"Did you come down, Joe?" he said softly.

"Of