wn, and
proceeded to think what his next step had best be. It was evident
that he could not return to the temple for the present; and it was
clear, also, that the search for him was still maintained, and that
it would not be safe to attempt to descend the river. He regretted
that he had been obliged to leave the place without saying goodbye
to the priest, and again thanking him for the shelter that he had
given him; but he was sure that, when he did not return, the old
man would guess that he had caught sight of the officer and his
party entering the temple, and had at once fled. Had he not known
that the guard would remain there, he would have waited until they
returned to the town, and would then have gone in and seen the
priest; but as they would remain there for some days, he thought it
was as well to abandon all idea of returning, as the suspicions
that he might be the man sought for would be heightened by his
continued absence, and the watch might be continued for a long
time, on the chance of his coming back.

He concluded that, at any rate, his best course would be to
endeavour to make his way for a considerable distance down the
country; and then to try and get a boat. He knew that the country
near the river was comparatively thickly populated, and that the
distances between the villages were not great, so that he would
find no great difficulty in purchasing provisions. The dress he had
brought with him was not altogether unfavourable for such a
purpose, as he could easily pass as a sub-officer, whose duty it
was to inquire whether the villages had each sent all their
able-bodied men to the war. The only drawback to it would be that,
if instructions for his arrest had been sent down to the villages
along the road, as well as those by the river, they would have
probably been directed to specially look for one clad in such
attire. However, it would be open to him, at any moment, to take to
his peasant's disguise again.

He at last determined to make a start and, by nightfall, had
traversed several miles through the great forest stretching along
by the side of the Panlaung river. He had asked many questions of
his friend the officer, as they went up to the temple, as to the
roads. He was told that there was one running almost due south to
Ramuthayn, by which he could travel down to Rangoon, by way of
Tannoo. This, however, would take him a long distance from the main
river, and he decided that he would present