ther in
a fight or in assisting to carry Harry.

On the following morning, after the man had started, Stanley went
with Meinik to examine the temple more closely than he had done
before. He thought that it would be a far better hiding place than
their hut in the tree. There would certainly be a hot pursuit, and
the next day they might be discovered, whether in the temple or in
the tree; but in the latter they would be powerless to defend
themselves, for the Burmese, with their axes, would be able to fell
it in a few minutes; whereas in the temple a stout defence might be
made for a time. Moreover, the rock chambers would be far cooler,
in the middle of the day, than the hut.

His chief object in visiting the temple was to find a chamber with
a narrow entrance, that could be held by half a dozen men against a
number of foes; and it was desirable, if possible, to find one so
situated that they might, in case of necessity, retreat into
another chamber, or into the open air. Meinik was so confident, in
the white man's power to combat even evil spirits, that he
approached the temple with Stanley without betraying any
nervousness. They had provided themselves with some torches of
resinous wood, and Meinik carried a couple of brands from their
fire.

The chamber they had before been in was apparently the largest in
the temple, but there were several other openings in the rock.

"That is the entrance we will try first," Stanley said, pointing to
one some ten feet from the ground. "You see there were once some
steps leading up to it. No doubt, where we are standing there was a
temple built against the face of that rock; and probably that
doorway led into one of the priests' chambers."

It was necessary to pile three or four blocks of stone on the top
of the two steps that alone remained intact, in order to enable
them to reach the entrance.

"Let me light the torches before you go in," Meinik said. "There
may be snakes."

"That is hardly likely, Meinik. You see, the face of the rock has
been chiselled flat, and I don't think any snake could climb up to
that entrance."

"Perhaps not, master, but it is best to be ready for them."

They lighted two torches, and passed through the doorway. There was
an angry hiss, some distance away.

"That is a snake, sure enough, Meinik. I wonder how it got here."

Holding their torches above their heads, they saw that the chamber
was some fourteen feet wide and twenty long. In the