le, they
would be very useful for, if Mr. Brooke has been wounded badly, he
may not be able to walk far.

"You do not know whether the country near the town is open, or
whether the forests approach it closely?"

The natives were again applied to.

"It is a rich country there, they say; and well cultivated, for
five or six miles round the town."

"I will go and have a talk with them, presently. It will, of
course, be necessary for me to disguise myself again."

Meinik nodded.

"Yes, you must do that, master."

"Do you think that we can get two or three men to go with us, from
here?"

"If you will pay them, master, no doubt they will be ready to go.
They are well content with the white rulers. They find that they
are not oppressed, and everything is paid for; and that the white
officers treat them kindly and well. They have lost many things, in
this affair today, and would be glad to earn a little money.

"How many would you like to have?"

"Four or five, Meinik. I don't exactly know, at present, what there
would be for them to do; but they could help to make fires, and
keep watch, while we are doing something. At any rate, they may be
useful.

"Of course, I shall get the trooper out, too, if I can. Very likely
they will be confined together and, if we rescue one, we can of
course rescue the other.

"Now I must do some writing. Get me a torch of some sort, and I
will do it while you are speaking to the natives."

Stanley always carried a notebook and pen and ink, to take down
statements and complaints, as he rode about. He now sat down and
wrote an account of what had taken place during his absence.

"We had no previous news of the existence of the band," he went on,
"and the natives, themselves, had certainly no fear of any attack
being imminent. Had I thought that there was the slightest risk, I
should not have made the village my headquarters; or have left Mr.
Brooke there, with only his servant and two troopers. I regret the
matter, most deeply; and am about to set off to Toungoo, with my
man. I shall, of course, go in disguise; and shall make every
endeavour to free my cousin.

"I trust, General, that you will grant me leave for this purpose. I
am, of course, unable to say how long it may take me but, however
long, I shall persevere until I learn that my cousin is dead, or
until I am, myself, killed. I trust that in starting at once, on
the assumption that you will grant me leave, I am not commi