him as long as possible, we must not run the
risk of his being sent away."

Four days later, Meinik said that the man had arranged with another
to join him, and that both would be on duty behind the hut, that
evening, between nine and midnight. Accordingly, at ten o'clock
Stanley arrived, with Meinik and the two villagers, at the
palisade. Meinik had insisted upon accompanying him to the hut.

"I believe that the man is to be trusted, master; indeed I am sure
he is, but I do not know the second man. He may have pretended to
accept the offer, only on purpose to betray his comrade, and to
obtain honour and reward for preventing the escape of the white
man. Therefore, I must be with you, in case you are attacked. Our
other two men may be useful, to give the alarm, if a party is sent
round to cut us off."

Stanley, who had brought a horse blanket with him to lay on the top
of the palisade, was the first to drop into the inclosure. Meinik
followed him closely. Nothing had been said to the guard as to the
white officer, of whom Meinik had spoken, being himself of the
party; and Stanley had purposely left his pistols behind him, lest
he should be tempted to use them. In case he was attacked, he
carried a spear and a long Burmese knife.

Meinik had begged to be allowed to go forward first, while Stanley
remained by the rope. He pointed out that some change might
possibly have been made, and that other men might have been placed
on sentry.

"I know you, master," he said; "if you got there, and found two
strangers, and they attacked you, you would fight; then they would
give the alarm, and others would come up before you could cross the
palisade. I shall steal up. When I am close, I shall make a noise
like the hiss of a snake. If my men are both there, they will
repeat the sound. If they are not, and one comes forward to look
for and kill the snake, I shall slay him before he has time to
utter a sound. If the other runs forward at the sound of his fall,
I shall kill him, also.

"If no alarm is given, you can come forward and speak to your
cousin. If there is an alarm, you must climb the rope. They will
not know which way I have run, and I shall have plenty of time to
get over the palisade and pull up the rope; then they will think
that the guards have been killed by some of their comrades."

"I hope no such misfortune will happen," Stanley said, gravely,
"for there would then be no chance, whatever, of our getting him