The Rajah's Fortress — page 116: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 107 The next instant, to Melton’s vexation, they were pouring his precious brandy down their throats. With no mean appreciation of its qualities they smacked their lips over it and continued to drink heartily, with no apparent intention of leaving any for next time. A faint hope stole into Melton’s heart that they might become so intoxicated as to give him a chance of escape, and in fact they did actually drain the flask to the last drop, washing it down with water from the stream. The effect was speedy and startling. Their dark faces assumed a maudlin aspect that was simply horrible. They staggered visibly, and finally began to chatter in a very loud and excited manner. But Melton soon saw that they were verging on a danger- ous state, and the next moment, while he was hesi- tating what course to pursue, they got into a dispute about the revolver and began to wrangle over it. The larger man of the two gained possession of the weapon, and, in order to conciliate his com- panion, who was plainly in a fit of sulks, he said something to him, pointing toward Melton as he spoke. Whatever his words were, harmony was restored at once, and to Melton’s horror both the wretches sprang on him, and in spite of his strug- gles fastened him securely to the tree against which he was leaning, with a belt of some untanned skin, He but dimly comprehended their object, but he was not slow to learn it, for, drawing off a few paces, COLUM 1OOO SS co