The Old Man of the Mountain

had been captured, presumably by natives, at a spot four days' march distant in the hills. His friend had come alone over at least a hundred miles of wild countr

In what direction lay the point on the route called "Monkey Face"? Without answers to these

mal hoot of an owl close at hand, several times repeated, jarred his nerves; by the natives the bird was suspected of possessing the power to scent out those about to die. Though

take th

ac?" he said, pu

hrough yon soul-te

eet," murmured Jacks

talking. As you're awake,

all three returned to the fire. Forrester repea

e, with his camels and

en he drew this diagra

mined it

suddenly. "It's very faint, and badly smudged. I c

the paper eagerly

hat's his starting-point, by the l

ground where Forrester had placed it after

hink we migh

Find out who he is, and make inquiri

a roll of rouble notes, from another a couple of letters addres

aid Forrester. "The n

f words and phrases in unfamiliar tongues, with their English equivalents. There was

is to get home as quickly as possible to-morrow, and wire throu

rrester and Jackson returned to the tent, lea

k man. In an hour the shikari returned with four lithe, well-developed young Mishmis, whose only clothing was a loin-cloth of bark and strips of bamboo coiled about their arms and leg

t from the border of the stream. On this they placed Captain Redfern; he was still unco

who presented them with a number of fowls in token of his gratitude. A crowd of men gathered aro

n a whisper. "There are two strangers; may

man," said For

o the village the night before. A party of the villagers had been away on an excursion some fifteen miles across the Brahmaputra. (He did not disclose the object of the expedition, but the shikari guessed that it was not unconnected with head hunting.) They were marching through the jungle wh

orrester, when Sher Jang

lt on piles, the walls and the sloping roof made of plantain leaves laid one upon another like the tiles of a

range coincidence Captain Redfern's friend, having escape

em. He could not speak their speech, and he was afraid. His young men ought not to have laid hands on men who were clothed. Forrester cut short his

th mingled hope and anxiety. By and by

Jinks!" Jack

did not hasten across the open space with the eager gait of men to whom had come sudden deliverance from a terrible fate (for there was not much doubt that the villagers would ultimately have solved their dilemma by adding the Chinamen's heads to their coll

es, as he drew nearer, the Englishmen discerned a languorous and sleepy expression. The second man presented a striking contrast. His age was between fifty and sixty, but he

salutation. Then, before Forrester could utter a word, the younger man began to speak in a breath

certain formality of phrase proclaimed him a Chinaman. "Being accused of sedition we were on our way from Yunan to Tibet with a sma

the elder man, who had stood the while gazing unswervingly upon his companion. In his eyes there was a hard,

est towards the borders of Assam. But when we were making our way north-west again towards Tibet, we fe

nglishman's usual anxiety to avoid any display

an with a momentary

his companion, who had not spoken, but whose eyes had

have no value for them, though they have not returned them to us. There is plenty of money to pay our way

I suggest that you make a small present to the head-man, an

ang. The notes were surrendered; a few coins were given to the Mishmi; the Chi

to Forrester, "but there's som

away, I think," said Forrester. "But they needn't be af

y're murderers,

out then," replied Fo

ut the youngster," said Jackson. "He

d or two from him. The elder man kept close to his side, and the Englishmen, finding that their well-meant remarks t

manager, Mr. Paterson, at once arranged to receive the captain in the bungalow he shared with Forrester, and offered to accommodate the Chinamen for the night in one of his godowns. At the instance of the elder man the younger politely, but with evident reluctance

ng his examination. "Malaria is bad enough, as ye know, but I would not s

n Calcutta, asking if anything was known of Captain Redfern. The manager had advised this course in preferenc

rlough exploring buried cities Chinese

the explorers so far from the scene of their labours? The pressing question, however, was the whereabouts of Beresford. Without loss of time For

had heard Forrester's scanty story. "He has been collared, I should thin

waterfall a hundred miles o

try on the right bank of the Brahmaputra up there is practically un

edfern talked of sending up a

ovoking a general rising of the hillmen whenever a roving explorer has come to grief in a district where he has no earthly

be done--can be done for an E

ations at Lhasa and at Pekin would be equally useless; China and Tibet would both wash their hands of the matter. Besides, Government wheels move

, in which a large military force had been engaged for six months in making its way through the jungle to exact retribution for the murder of two Englishmen. Remembering, too, the un

mped up and down the room, abusing Governments and Political Officers and mankind generally. Mackenzie, on the other hand, sat placidly

ing, Bob, listen to me.

ha

A

mean, Mac?" a

score or two of the

ke it, d'you suppose they'll let a lot of amateurs go careering about? T

osition. I'm not particular about my leave

it, Mac?" cr

A