The Rajah's Fortress — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

192 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. ress—a big stream that bubbled up among the rocks and ran on down through the valley. Butas for food—that was a different matter. There was game, to be sure, on the mountain and in the jun- gle, but there was no noiseless way to kill it, even had it been safe to venture out. At this critical time of need Guy came to the res- cue. He coolly took possession of the water bot- tles, which were covered with leather, and an- nounced his intention of going to have them filled. All volunteered to accompany him, but he insisted on going alone. From Topee’s directions he gleaned that the spring rose alongside of the first house in the valley, and the Chinaman appeared sanguine that the plan would succeed if sufficient care was observed. It was close to sundown already, and, leaving them to continue the work, Guy made his way out through the cavernous entrance and struck off through the jungle in the direction of the fortress. He had a revolver stowed away in his pocket, and the bunch of bottles was slung at his side. It was very dark when he finally reached the edge of the jungle. The gloomy bulk of the fort- ress rose before him, grim and black against the faintly luminous sky. At intervals among the trees shone the ruddy glow of scattered fires, and close at hand, across a level patch of jungle grass, was the first of the dacoit dwellings, a neat structure of bamboo and CONMUC WOO SS co