h cultivated fields, brought them
to the edge of the forest.

"Here you are as safe as if you were in Rangoon," the Burman said.
"In another hour we shall reach my comrades. As a rule, we change
our headquarters frequently. At present there is no question of our
being disturbed; so we have settled ourselves, for a time."

"Why were you and your comrade on the other side of the river?

"His village lies five miles beyond that forest," the man said. "At
ordinary times, he dared not venture there; but he thought that, at
present, most of the able men would be away, and so he could pay a
visit to his friends. He asked me to accompany him and, as I had
nothing better to do, I agreed to go. A convoy of traders, too
strong to be attacked, had passed down from the hill country the
morning before we started. There was not much probability that
anyone would come again, for a few days."

"They bring down rubies from there, do they not?"

"The mines are the property of the emperor," the man said, "and the
gems are sent down, once every two months, under a strong guard;
but for all that, many of the traders bring rubies down from
there--of course, secretly. The men who work the mines often
conceal stones that they come upon, and sell them for a small sum
to the traders; besides, sometimes the peasants pick them up
elsewhere--and these, too, make haste to sell them for anything
that they can get. We do not care for them much, for it is a risky
business going down to Ava to sell them; and the traders there,
knowing that, at a word from them, we should be arrested and most
likely executed, will give us next to nothing for them. We prefer
silver and lead for money; and garments, arms, and set jewels.

"Each man takes his share of what is captured and, when we have
enough, we go home to our villages. A pound of silver, or two or
three pounds of lead, are generally quite enough to buy the
goodwill of the head man of the village. We give out that we have
been working on the river, or in Ava, since we left; and everyone
knows better than to ask questions."

In another hour, they reached the encampment. It was now dusk, and
some five-and-twenty men were sitting round a great fire. A number
of leafy arbours had been constructed in a circle beyond them.

"What, returned so soon!" one of the men said, as Stanley's guide
came near enough for the firelight to fall on his face; "but where
is Ranji, and whom have you brought here--a new r