Adventures in Many Lands

Fight and The

a massive five-foot-long stick with a crook handle, and studded with short brass-headed nails from handle to ferrule. He

strolled together from one object of interest to another; they were

ns on the various curios until they came face to fac

ou badmash (scoundrel)?"

in the handling of a stick, struck the native who had addressed him a vicious blow on the head, but, the said hea

uickly in full swing, two against one, and the noise of the sticks rattling together in powerful strokes, and the in

o damage except to themselves, and neither party would bring a charge against the

eud," said

is a vendetta,"

ds and bound together by the most solemn vows, and in fact the realistic fight had been pre-arranged w

is son Mark, a sturdily built lad of about eighteen, who was preparing to follow his father's profession, a

out a robbery at the Museum yesterday?"

gely carved stones you found on the Salt Range mountains, and also another

y them off for? They can be of no va

inscribed stone and one piece belonging to another set. Had they taken any of the gold or silver things we

cal joke, or some one saw the stones who was able to decipher them-which w

gest being about seven inches long by four or five wide, and the smallest some four inches by two. These five

f the letters on the stones, and sent it to a fri

tones? Do you remember that your tent was surreptitiously searched

d, but we never for a moment thought they were after the bits of inscribed slab, which, by

owed us to Lahore and you to the Museum, when you

n them, if any one took all the trouble to c

must get back to work, for I have to finish my report before we start into camp again in a couple of days' time," he added, and they hurried away to their

the Professor the expected letter

se of a Greek settlement which was most probably founded on the Salt Range by camp followers, an

bed from memory at a much later period, it being made up of three languages. The original sense may or may not have been retained, and as far as I am able to

ee at a glance, the incomplete sentences allow of a variety of renderings

he slab," exclaimed Mark, as soon a

pieces, and a diligent search there may be rewarded by the discovery of at least some of the other portion," said the Doctor; and both Mark and Tom E

-Mark Mulle

n, as he shook the lad, who had lowered the uppe

Where are we?" M

nd we are at Gunj

turn out!" grumbled Ma

been waiting-had started for the Doctor's destinati

d, and the Doctor and his two c

Ellison, accompanied by a servant, to a small

r; "this is the exact spot whe

with the ends of iron-shod sticks. They had been twenty minutes at their task when a boy in cha

oolies to loosen the subsoil and turn over some of these loose ston

t it," replied the Doctor, who at once sent the servant

d received a signal from a man who was secretly watching the

ot where the next coolie had turned over a stone. The man picked up his puggari and moved a few yards off to win

, and as he casually glanced at the boy he saw the coolie hand him something,

e he could make off, and no sooner had he felt the lad's kupra (cloth) than he discovered that

ning to Tom's explanation. In their excitement they forgot about the boy, and w

ubs, large stones, and nullahs, or ravines, and, although

other stones which they thought might possibly prove to be of some interest, and most of the evening after dinner was spen

ives were watching me trying to place the several pieces together in my attempts to get an idea of the whole. Strange that

is piece, for they are sure to have a try for it,

dn't be surprised if they thought we came her

ers on it at once, in case anything h

ed either the Doctor or Tom returning to Lahore for

re they can watch any one who takes any peculiar interest in it. Further, get a description of those men who were fighting there on

ere being practically no road from the foot of the Salt Range across the miles of dismal tract of sandy plain to

ld remain alone until he arrived at Lala Musa, about eight o'clock, where he would have to change to get on to the

move, a rug was thrown over his face, and he knew he was being held down by at least two powerful assailants. In a very short time, notwithstanding his fierce

ntered the compartment, and, as the Venetian shutters were down, it was imposs

too securely to the seat which formed his bed to allow of the slightest movement, so wearily and

the only thing missing was the fragment o

at some station whilst I was asleep, and quietly slipped out at

im he had only a few minutes in which to rush over to the ref

in a couple of hours he had completed the special work which

hib," said one of the attendan

urprise, for he had concluded that his late ass

night, but I don't know much

to the police-station to

on it," said the Superintendent of Police. "This is it. D

e Doctor found," said Tom,

told it was stolen from the Museum with som

u get this?

ht an anonymous letter came to us, and we decided to act upon it, so we searched a house in the bazaar and recovered this stone together with some gold and silver ornaments which had been stolen; we found

think he is connected with the men who

the fighters. He does not bear the best

s were advanced to account for the keen interest taken in the ston

nformation that some oorial (wild sheep) were feeding about half a mile away, and

ten minutes Mark heard a slight rustling in the bushes some twenty yards away, and he got a glimpse of a porcupine. He did not wish to fire at

he hurried forward, but he could find no sign of the porcupi

be very low, and when his match went out he decided to go no fa

Mark thought no more about the animal un

ton, the Superintendent of Police, had called, and during the

about it being a porcupi

th the stone, for I distinctly heard it make a

nimals without vocal cords, therefore cannot make a vocal sound. It was more likely a

imal's quills, so a little later he quietly left the camp

ton, who had remained to dinner, suggested that he might have got

.-The Myste

r Mullen on their return to camp about three o'clock

Listen to those natives shouting 'Sahib! Sahib!' and far beyond them others are calling, and

re after duck. Had he gone after oorial he would have taken his rifle and would have been accomp

ssion to his thoughts. "He may have fallen over a kud (precipice), or his gun may have burst, or he may have been bitten by a snake, or

, a dark-complexioned man of medium height, very agile and powerful, and was known to the Salt Rang

lf on the camp bed his busy brain was engaged in trying to form a connection between the broken slab and Mark's

son?" greeted Burton, as

, by all this shouting, I conclude Mark is still missing," said Tom, and in a very few minutes he

said Burton aloud, and then muttered to himself

nd they are to search every nullah until they meet the men from the next village. We think the young Sahib has met with an accident, and if you f

?" asked the Doctor as

l name-certainly not a Pu

fore. He is a fine-looking

Range, and celebrated for its stamped-cloth work. Appoyas and his brother Atlasul-another uncommon name-buy up all the cloth made and stamped in the place, and gi

too improbable, how--" began the Doctor

l find I am right. Now I must be off, and-well, expect me when you see me, as they say"; a

day, but not the slightest si

e, a Fakir might have been seen sitting on the identical spot. He appeared to be in deep meditation, but, as soon a

scrambled in; and after again listening he produced a bull's-eye lam

garment he had wrapped round him, and in addition to these weapons he had an

sage, and this he proceeded cautiously to explore, but when he had gone about a hundred yards it came to an

nd crevices in the walls; then suddenly he sat down, and, had any one been near enou

out of the cave and disappeare

ds: 'If the Sahib wishes to learn where his son is he will be told if you promise to give up the other pieces of stone you found. Let the Sahib write his promise

t is a hoax?" a

o thought that Burton's experience might enable him to get something of a

id not belong to the s

iter of this is under the impression th

is Burton's opinion; and I believe he is acting in

on it in the native language: "You must first give me some proof that you know wh

the paper there, and you go to some place where you can wa

a reply Burton may be back," sa

f some goats, no one went near the spring, and the boy did not go within a

xclaimed Tom when he returned to

Tom?" aske

to see, and the message had not bee

my boy, for I saw i

e you?" asked T

per in its mouth, and five minutes later the boy had it in his hand. Here, sm

ar smell,

arry anything impregnated with tha

knows where Mark is, Burton? Have y

enough, and I know to h

o release him at on

I believe we are in conflict with some of the most cunning and fearless men in India-men who had been carrying on their work for many years, and that, too, without raising suspicion, and who will not hesita

lowed by a thud and an exclamation from Burton; so they rushed out to see wh

atter, Burton

his knees. "They were too smart for me, an

s the light revealed a long rope extending from a te

ifference which way I had come round the tent, for the eavesdropper would have gone in the opposite direction. When I heard him making off I dashed after him, and his comrade, who was at the far end of

was any one outside?" asked

ve made a terrible mistake in not taking precautionary measures against being overheard. If they understood what I said about suspecting who they are, I may

robably did not grasp the meaning of our co

death," was Burton's serious reply, and

hand, saying as he did so, "Don't open it unless I am not back by eight o'clock to-mo

IV.-A

he rubbing you sent me from the last fragment of slab you found means 'Cave,' and I think it should be placed before the word

either anxious to learn where this Cave of Hydas is, or they know where it

Mark is in that very cave at

ut the camp to continue the search for Mark. Burton wishes it to be kep

been asked to say that I am all right, and to advise you to do what my captors have requested you. Your reply is to be written on the blank part of thi

lish or he would have written more; he was onl

re to tell them that if one of their number will come with

here he could watch the goat carry away the message to the boy; and he had not long to wait, for within a couple of hours the boy and his goats appeared and slowly

red the cave he had examined a couple of nights previously. He lit

nd the reach of his light; then, having satisfied himself that all was quiet, he put his arm into a narrow crack in the side of the cave and his

ce climbed up. When he had gone about forty feet he found the entrance to another passage;

floor to listen, and keeping a sharp look-out for any side galleries, of whic

istening a while, he went on in the dark, and it was well he had turned off his light, for the passage to

e concluded it came from some side cave, and this pro

e stones if, as you say, you have stolen t

they broken the stillness of the dismal place that the Faki

e have only got one of the last you fou

r says he will let you have any stones he has found if one of you will go with me for them, but I told you when

I may tell you that it is more than a hundred years since the slab was broken and some of the parts stolen and los

protected the secret of their work and amassed wealth in the way we are doing, and, with the exception of the man who accidentally found his way into this cave and stole the inscribed slab, no outsider has ever known the secret of

g destruction upon us and thereby destroy our meth

r!" shouted fully h

is death cannot in any way be traced to us"; and as the Fakir heard these word

not think, Appoyas, that he may also have gained

fifty years since the offerings in the Temple of Atlas were removed to the Temple of Hydas. This has been done every fifty years, and only on those o

began quickly and noiselessly to retreat along the pass

the passage and go in the opposite direction, and in a short time the soun

felt his way to the entrance of the side cave in which he had

s cave-chamber there was a flight of steps to a passage above, and the Fakir was on the point of ascending them when he heard quick footsteps comi

the Fakir heard some one mutter. "It is all right, thou

ery few paces he paused to listen; he appeared extremely suspicious, for at time

, he approached the edge until he was able to peer down, and almost at the instant he did so the light below went out; but he had learnt muc

led Tom Ellison and a powerful native trying to get the better of each other, the latter ha

knife from the man's grasp, and in a f

his hand over Tom's mouth and, taking hi

" said the Fakir

hould never have known you in that

ut his discovering who I am. We must blindfold him, for there is a rope-ladder hanging near him, and on no account must he learn that it i

secured the knife," said Tom. "But where shall you take the man? His com

afraid-there is a salt-mine, and to-day I arranged-in case I needed it-to use part of it as a temporary prison until

by an arm as they stumbled over the rough ground in the dark, for Burton would not risk using his lamp lest the light,

dged their prisoner the

that cave, Tom?" asked Bur

k had entered after the porcupine, so I spotted the place before dark, and then quietly left the camp after dinner on a privat

I cannot enter the camp in this disguise; I want to use it again, and as a Fakir I do not wish to be seen near the camp; but I hope to turn up early

rangements carefully made. I expect we shall have a dangerous

uable Find in th

m Ellison, who, with the Doctor, had been listening t

cult to enter the cave and find our way about without your guidance. It seem

the letter I gave you. However, we are all here yet, and I expect we shall get the better of Appoyas and his gang if our

upposed to be one the wealthiest and most respecte

e museum. Then I followed the goat-boy who got the message from the goat, and the boy handed the message to a man, and this man took it

istening to your own death-se

ed is to be fore-armed. Two traps have been already laid this morning to get me away from the Salt Ra

"This pretends to be a message ordering my speedy return to headquarters, and I shall make

an attempt to get you a

g here would only cause Appoyas to suspect that I am about to take some decisive steps. I have twenty men around here now, and as soon as it is dark to-nigh

d by that time, and we shall enter the cave by what I will call the porcupine entrance, and, once inside-well, we have to rescue Mark and capture as many of the gang as we can. We must take all precautionary measures, for I do not know how many rascals we sha

mber of his men, though not in uniform, were sitting under the

ble," said Burton to one of his men; and then to another he said, "Sergeant, come with me; we

feet of them and dashed off towards the cave, but he had not taken many steps when he tripped, and bef

men had arrived, Burton had explored the cave as f

was stationed at the foot of the ladder and two more at the top, and a

o try and discover where Appoyas and his gang are, and how many we have to deal with? They have some special work on at ten o'clock in what they call the Temple

hem are in the cave-chamber where I heard

tly crept nearer until the

om of the river Hydaspes (Jhelum), I hope, if our men did their duty. Now, brothers, follow me to the Temple of Atlas and we will take the fifty y

men lighted torches and prepared to follow him, Burton and Tom slipped some dista

came into the passage and fortunately went the op

ared down a flight of steps, and when Burton and T

far end was an enormous statute of a figure evidently

g some on rapidly approaching along the passage. The man carried no light, and as the two Engl

e!" shouted the man,

re too amazed to move; then, simultan

eps. That man's gone for help," said Burton, and blew his whistle

knocked out of his hand and fell with a clatter down the ste

lf his legs were jerked from under him and he fell on his back; then he felt a b

swinging his iron rod to and fro, and at the same time holding his whi

ussle; there is a fight going on all over the place, and I must discover where Mark is lest they should try to injure

-r--" some one tried

ngling him," said Burton. "Quick with y

after showing fight for a few seconds, Burton pursuing them hotly, received a terrific blow on the head aft

great damage with his stick, but at

nd they had eight prisoners; among whom was Atlasu

suddenly came face to face with Appoyas, who, after throwing a kni

uld see that he was standing on the very edge of a black chasm. For a moment

Appoyas," said Burton, co

s the Cave of Doom, but you have not got me yet," and, to the astonishment of Burton and

can't see the bottom," said Tom,

l get a rope and make

, about six feet from the bottom, could be seen a

and escaped by a secr

the cave, and were astonished at th

ow and has a big slit in it like a letter-box, and has a lock on

o be nearly full of gold and silver o

se thieves during the last fifty years. A system of theft and sacrifice which h

far beyond. The villains had been in the habit of placing a few of the things stolen in some inno

e traced, and the balance was ultimately considered as treasure-trove, the Government claiming four anna

ther were they able to find any parts of the broken slab which might have aided them in their search. They were equally unsuccessf