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Updated: June 12, 2025
Still, with a good appetite which you are sure to have, after your illness plenty of food, and the cool air in these caves, I do expect that you will pick up fast." The next day passed quietly. "I shall be glad when tomorrow is over," Stanley said to Meinik, the last thing before going up to Harry's cell.
Therefore, the party that were to remain would be well provided. Moreover, in collecting the wood a score of snakes had been killed. Some of these and a chicken had been cooking while they were at work and, as soon as this was eaten, they started for the town. When they came within a mile of it, Stanley entered a plantation of fruit trees, and Meinik and the four men went on.
They had been away, as usual, searching for food in the plantations and fields when the robber band arrived and, on their return home at dusk, had found everything changed. A boy at once caught and killed two of these, plucked them and brought them to Meinik who, getting some embers from the fires, cut the fowls in two and put them on to roast. A few minutes sufficed to cook them.
Meinik and Stanley sat on the nets, each with a paddle. The former had hidden the greater portion of his store of money in the ground, before entering the village. As soon as they had fairly started, Stanley said: "Had we not better get rid of the fire, Meinik? Its light would draw attention to us." "That matters little," the Burman replied.
At last Meinik said that, by the stars, it was already past midnight; and they then proceeded to the spot where they had before climbed the palisade. Here they at once set to work. The saws were well oiled and, in a very few minutes, five bamboos were cut away, at the level of the ground and six feet above it.
It was level, and had deep grooves cut, at regular intervals, across it. He had no doubt that the roof of the outside temple had started from this point; and that the grooves were made for the ends of massive rafters, of teak or stone. At that time the passage to the chamber that he had left was, doubtless, used for an exit on to the flat roof. Stepping on to the ledge, he called Meinik to him.
Holding their torches above their heads, they saw that the chamber was some fourteen feet wide and twenty long. In the corner to the left something was lying and, above it, a dark object was moving backwards and forwards. "It is a big boa," Meinik said. "Now, master, do you take the two torches in one hand, and have your knife ready in the other. If it coils round you, cut through it at once.
"If its tail strikes you, it might do you an injury. It is harmless, otherwise. I have cut its head off." Stanley stepped back a pace or two, and stood gazing in awe at the tremendous writhing of the headless snake. "It is a monster, Meinik," he said. "It is a big snake, master. Indeed, I should say that it must be about forty feet long, and it is as thick as my body.
As the writhing of the snake ceased, Stanley looked round and saw a narrow doorway, in the corner opposite that in which it had been lying. "Here is a passage, Meinik. Let us see where it goes to." Meinik had, by this time, lighted two more torches.
"Meinik and I will take up our abode close to the edge of the forest, for that will save us some four or five miles' walk, each day. The first thing in the morning, you shall go with me and choose a spot; so that you may both know where to find us.
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