The Rajah's Fortress — page 250: what you’re looking at

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

THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. 237 fellow’s mouth and make him sing out a couple of times.” The Chinaman promptly obeyed, and hauling the frightened wretch to his feet he jabbered at him for a moment, emphasizing his words with such fierce gestures that the poor wretch, with a look of the utmost wonder on his dark face, lost no time in uttering a couple of piercing howls. To the surprise of all an answer came at once, close at hand, and then another and another, until hail after hail echoed through the jungle. “ That will soon bring down a hornet’s nest on us,” said Loyd. The decoy Burman was promptly gagged again and thrust away in a corner. They waited for half an hour and their patience was rewarded by a faint gleam of light shining through the crevices in the barrier. “They have discovered the place,” whispered Loyd. ‘They will do nothing to-night. The at- tack will be made at daybreak. You need not worry about the prisoner. Pandy will keep him in the expectation of having two or three more of the hated English to shuffle off at the same time. And, by Jove, the odds are in his favor,” concluded Loyd, coolly. Guy shuddered, but said nothing. Absolute silence reigned outside. Dawn was still far off, but no one could sleep. They crouched _ about the dim lamp, talking in low whispers and 9 COLUM 1OOO SS co