back, Harry. We shall have no difficulty in getting you up
here."

Two Burmans took the upper end of the blanket, Stanley and Meinik
the lower, and they were soon at the top of the steps.

"You are not very heavy now, Harry; but you are a good deal heavier
than you were, when we brought you in below.

"Now, the next is the most difficult part of the work--once we get
you through this passage, it will be plain sailing. You see, you
will have to be dragged. The place is only two feet high, so that
it would be impossible to lift you at all. We have made the floor
as smooth as we can, but I am afraid that there are a good many
projecting corners, that will try you a good deal."

"It cannot be helped, Stanley. Fire away, as soon as you like."

The rest of the party were now all gathered, on the steps below;
and Meinik and Stanley, getting up first into the hole, received
Harry as the others lifted him and, with the aid of two of the
Burmans, laid him on his blanket in the passage.

"Now," Stanley said, to the two men who took the other end of the
blanket, "keep it as tight as you can and, when I say 'lift,' we
will all lift together, and move him forward a few inches. Do not
hurry over it--we have plenty of time before us."

They were packed so closely that they had each but one arm
available. Little by little they moved him along, gaining some six
inches, each time; then all had to move, so as to place themselves
for the next effort. However, in five or six minutes they had him
through, and carried him up into the open air. The rest of the
party at once joined them and, with three of the natives on each
side of the blanket, they were soon beyond the circle of ruins, and
making at a brisk pace through the forest. After going for a
quarter of a mile they stopped, cut some poles for the hammock and,
in a short time, were on their way again; having placed in it one
of the bags of rice, as a pillow for Harry.

They travelled for some hours, and then halted to cook some rice.
All had slept a good deal during the day so that, after resting for
an hour, they proceeded on their way again. They had no fear,
whatever, of pursuit; and the only danger that they could incur was
from meeting with a band, similar to that which had carried Harry
off. When they rigged up the hammock, they had cut wood for
torches, to protect themselves from tigers. These were thrown away,
as soon as daylight broke.

At midday they halted again,