n so accustomed to seeing you that I
forget that, to other people, your face would seem strange; as it
at first did to me, in the forest. Indeed you look to me now like
one of ourselves; but were we to join a band, someone would be sure
to ask questions concerning you, ere long. What, then, do you think
we had best do?"

"From what I heard of the country from one of your comrades, who is
a native of this province, it would be impossible for us, after
crossing the river, to make our way down on the opposite side,
since the whole country is swampy and cut up by branches of the
Irrawaddy. On this side there are few obstacles of that kind but,
on the other hand, we shall find the country full of troops going
down towards Rangoon. Your comrade told me that the hills that we
saw to the east, from the forest at Ava, extended right down into
Tenasserim; and were very high, and could not be traversed, for
that no food could be obtained, and that tigers and wild animals
and other beasts abounded. But he said that the smaller hills that
we crossed on the way to your village--which he called the Pegu
Yoma hills--some of whose swells come down to the bank, extend all
the way down to the sea between the Irrawaddy and the Sittang
rivers; and that, from them, streams flowed to one river or the
other. Therefore, if we could gain that range, we should avoid the
swamp country, altogether.

"A few miles back we passed a river coming in from the east and, if
we follow that up as far as there is water, we shall be among the
hills. He said that there were no mountains at all, there; but just
rounded hills, with many villages and much cultivated ground, so
there ought to be no difficulty in making our way along. We shall
be able to gather food in the fields; or can go into villages and
purchase some, for the men will all be away. Besides, we can get
spears and shields, and can say that having been away from home on
a journey--when the men were all ordered to war, we returned too
late to go with the rest of the villagers, and are making our way
down to join them. Many others must be doing the same, and the
story will be likely enough.

"In that way we can get down till we are close to the troops round
Rangoon, and must then take our chance of getting through them."

"That seems better than the other way," Meinik said. "There is such
a river as you speak of, above Sarawa. We can paddle back tonight,
and hide near the town; then I can go th