ur later, smoke rose
in many places, and then flames; then after a time, all was quiet.
A boy crept up among the bushes, and came back with the news that
they had all gone.

"Then we came out again. Twenty-three of our people had been
killed, and eight carried off; at least, we cannot find the bodies.
The white officer and one of his soldiers have gone, also."

"Which way did they go?"

"The tracks show that they went up the hill. Most likely they will
have gone to Toungoo, if they have gone to any town at all; but
indeed, we think they have taken the prisoners to get a reward for
them."

Stanley had thrown himself off his horse, as he rode up; and he
stood for some time, silently leaning against it. Then he said to
Meinik:

"Picket the horses, and then come and have a talk with me."

Then he turned to the two troopers:

"There is nothing to be done now," he said. "You had better look
about, and see what you can find in the way of food; and then get a
grave dug for your comrade, and another for Mr. Brooke's servant."

The two Mahommedan troopers saluted, and led their horses away.
Meinik, after picketing the animals, returned to Stanley but,
seeing that the latter was pacing up and down, and evidently not
disposed to speak, he went away.

There were a good many fowls walking about, in a bewildered way,
near the huts. They had been away, as usual, searching for food in
the plantations and fields when the robber band arrived and, on
their return home at dusk, had found everything changed. A boy at
once caught and killed two of these, plucked them and brought them
to Meinik who, getting some embers from the fires, cut the fowls in
two and put them on to roast. A few minutes sufficed to cook them.
As soon as they were ready, Meinik took them to Stanley.

"You must eat, master," he said. "You have had nothing since we
started, this morning; and sorrow, alone, makes a poor supper. You
will want to do something, I know; and will need all your
strength."

"You are right, Meinik. Yes, give me one of them, and take the
other one yourself and, while we eat, we can talk. Of course, I
must make an effort to rescue my cousin from the hands of this
band."

"Yes, master, I knew that you would do that."

"Did you ask how many there were of them, Meinik?"

"Some say forty, some say sixty."

"If we knew where they are now, and could come up to them, we might
manage to get them off while the robbers were asleep."

M