t distance.

"Let us move round to the other side of the inclosure. It may be
that a sentry is posted at their door."

On getting to the other side, and looking through the crevices
between the bamboos, they could make out two figures squatted by
the door of one of the houses; and had no doubt that this was the
one in which Harry Brooke was confined.

"Now, Meinik, the first thing is for you to go and buy a rope. When
the place gets quite quiet, we will make a loop and throw it over
the top of the palisade, behind that hut; then I will climb up and
let myself down, inside, and then crawl up to the hut and see what
is going on there. If my cousin is alone, I will endeavour to speak
to him; but of course there may be a guard inside, as well as at
the door. If he is very ill, there will probably be a light."

"Let me go, master!"

"No, Meinik, I would rather go myself. I shall be able to judge how
he is, if I can catch a sight of him."

Chapter 13: Preparing A Rescue.

Stanley remained where he was until Meinik returned, in half an
hour, with the rope. Stanley made a loop at one end; and then
knotted it, at distances of about a foot apart, to enable him to
climb it more easily. Then they waited until the guard fire burnt
down low, and most of the men went off into a hut a few yards
distant, three only remaining talking before the fire. Then Stanley
moved round to the other side of the palisade and, choosing a spot
immediately behind the hut where the sentries were posted, threw up
the rope. It needed many attempts before the loop caught at the top
of one of the bamboos. As soon as it did so, he climbed up.

He found that the position was an exceedingly unpleasant one. The
bamboos were all so cut that each of them terminated in three
spikes, and so impossible was it to cross this that he had to slip
down the rope again. On telling Meinik what was the matter, the
latter at once took off his garment and folded it up into a roll,
two feet long.

"If you lay that on the top, master, you will be able to cross."

This time Stanley had little difficulty. On reaching the top, he
laid the roll on the bamboo spikes; and was able to raise himself
on to it and sit there, while he pulled up the rope and dropped it
on the inside. Descending, he at once began to crawl towards the
hut. As he had seen before climbing, a light was burning within,
and the window was at the back of the house. This was but some
twenty yards