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 JOHNSON LUNGED AT HIM WITH HIS BAVUNET." [f. 128. 
 
THE ' 
 
 Dacoits Treasure 
 
 OR 
 
 IN THE DAYS OF PO THAW 
 
 Jl grtorg of gCtujenture in gnvma 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY CHARLES MOORE 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY HAROLD PIFFARD 
 
 gonoon 
 
 S. W. PARTRIDGE & CO. 
 8 & 9) PATERNOSTER ROW 
 
PR 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. THE PHOONGYEE'S SECRET 
 
 II. PO THAW APPEARS . 
 
 III. A FIGHT WITH THE DACOITS 
 
 IV. " WE HAVE COME TO BE YOUR 
 V. THE "SPOTTED FACE" 
 
 VI. ANOTHER FIGHT WITH DACOH 
 
 VII. A SPY .... 
 
 VIII. THE FORT SURROUNDED . 
 
 IX. THE FIRE-WALKING ORDEAL 
 
 X. MAH NOO 
 
 XI. A TRIAL BY ORDEAL 
 
 XII. EDITH CLARENCE 
 
 XIII. FLIGHT AND CAPTURE 
 
 XIV. THE END OF BAH WAH . 
 XV. MAH NOO'S APPEAL . 
 
 XVI. THE GRATITUDE OF PO SE 
 
 XVII. A RACE FOR LIFE . 
 
 XVIII. THE TREASURE 
 
 XIX. A SHEAF OF SURPRISES . 
 
 XX. RETRIBUTION . 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 33 
 
 
 5° 
 
 . WIVES " 
 
 7i 
 
 
 93 
 
 S 
 
 119 
 
 
 i33 
 
 
 151 
 
 
 179 
 
 
 203 
 
 
 225 
 
 
 248 
 
 
 265 
 
 
 296 
 
 
 3°4 
 
 
 3 2 7 
 
 
 345 
 
 
 368 
 
 
 388 
 
 
 409 
 
THE DACOIT'S TREASURE 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE PHOONGYEE'S SECRET 
 
 GEORGE MURRAY was a fortunate 
 man. At the age of twenty-eight he 
 inherited from a distant relative a fortune 
 sufficiently large to enable him to resign the 
 post he held in a prominent business house, 
 and to give himself up to any kind of pur- 
 suit that pleased him. It had always been 
 his great desire to travel ; and as soon, 
 therefore, as he was in a position to do so, 
 he bade goodbye to England, and set out 
 on a voyage to Burma. 
 
 Arriving at Rangoon, he was heartily 
 9 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 welcomed by an old schoolfellow, Sydney 
 Cameron, who had emigrated to that part 
 of the world years before, and had become 
 a prosperous rice-merchant in the land of 
 his adoption. 
 
 For a day or two after Murray's arrival, 
 Cameron's thirst for tidings of his friends 
 in the old country kept the new-comer at 
 rather close quarters ; and Murray, eager as 
 he had been at first to impart what infor- 
 mation he could, began at length to tire of 
 the continued fire of questions with which 
 Cameron assailed him. He longed for an 
 opportunity of escaping for a while and 
 exploring his strange surroundings. 
 
 Not until he had been Cameron's guest 
 for some days, however, did Murray venture 
 to hint that, being a stranger in a strange 
 land, there were a good many things of 
 interest in the country which he would like 
 to see. When he did mention the matter — 
 
 " Why, my dear fellow, yes, of course ! " 
 exclaimed Cameron. " Upon my word, 
 
 10 
 
The Phoongyees Secret 
 
 I have been strangely forgetful, not to say 
 selfish. But you must make allowances. 
 You must remember it is ten years since 
 I have seen anyone from the old place ; and 
 letters never tell everything. I'll do my 
 best, though, to make up for having bored 
 you ! 
 
 And he did ! The very next morning 
 Murray was roused soon after six o'clock, 
 and requested to be ready at seven for a 
 visit to the Shway Dagon Pagoda, a famous 
 temple, which attracts good Buddhists to 
 Rangoon from all parts of Asia. He needed 
 no second bidding. He had heard of this 
 pagoda before he left home, and the 
 glimpses he had caught of it since his arrival 
 in Rangoon made him more anxious than 
 ever to visit it. Seven o'clock accordingly 
 found the two friends driving to the place ; 
 and they spent an hour pleasantly enough 
 in admiring the barbaric splendours of the 
 ancient building. 
 
 It is strange how sometimes the most 
 ii 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 apparently trivial things will shape or alter 
 a man's whole career. When Gilbert 
 Murray wandered with his friend round the 
 old Burmese pagoda that morning, he had 
 no definite object in life. His intention was 
 simply to rove aimlessly from place to place, 
 " putting in time," as he confided to 
 Cameron, " by travel and sight-seeing." 
 Had anyone told him that a chance visit 
 to a heathen temple would lead to an 
 incident destined to affect his whole future, 
 he would probably have laughed incredu- 
 lously. Yet so it was. And it came about 
 in this way. 
 
 The two friends, having seen everything 
 of interest at the pagoda, were returning to 
 the spot where they had left their con- 
 veyance, when they were startled by loud 
 and angry shouts. 
 
 " What is the matter ? " Murray asked. 
 
 " A riot," Cameron replied, somewhat 
 shortly, with difficulty concealing his anxiety. 
 
 " A rising of the natives ? " 
 12 
 
The Phoongyees Secret 
 
 "Oh, no — a religious riot. The Mohar- 
 ram, the great annual Mohammedan festival, 
 is being held, and this is one of the fights 
 with which the two Mohammedan sects 
 usually mark the occasion." 
 
 Before Cameron had time to give his 
 friend any further information a wild crowd 
 of Mohammedans dashed round the corner, 
 closely followed by another and larger 
 mob, who, uttering horrible imprecations, 
 hurled sticks and jagged stones at those in 
 front as they ran. Presently the fugitives 
 made a stand, and for a time the fanatics 
 fought madly, taking no notice whatever 
 of the two Englishmen and a feeble old 
 phoongyee, or Burmese priest, who stood 
 helplessly looking on. Blood flowed freely, 
 staining the long white garments of the 
 rioters, some of whom had their robes 
 literally torn from their backs in the melde. 
 
 Again the smaller mob took to flight, and 
 a wild yell burst from their opponents as 
 they dashed after them. One fanatic, bleed- 
 
 13 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 ing and tattered, stopped as he passed the 
 venerable fihoongyee, and deliberately hurled 
 a stick at him. The missile was well aimed, 
 and the unfortunate priest fell senseless to 
 the ground as, with a fiendish scream of 
 delight, the fanatic rushed madly after his 
 fellow-rioters. 
 
 " You scoundrel ! " Murray shouted, and 
 would have avenged the priest ; but 
 Cameron caught hold of him. 
 
 " Let the fiend go," Cameron said. 
 "Your interference would only result in an 
 attack upon you by the whole mob. Come 
 and see what we can do for the phoongyee." 
 
 The poor old priest had received an ugly 
 cut on the forehead. Fortunately Murray 
 knew enough of " first aid to the wounded " 
 to be able to bandage the g"ash with his 
 pocket-handkerchief, while Cameron enlisted 
 the services of a little Burmese boy — who 
 stood watching the operation with tears in 
 his eyes — and sent him off at a run to the 
 monastery for help. 
 
 14 
 
The Phoongyee' s Secret 
 
 In a few minutes a number of yellow- 
 robed phoongyees and novices came hurrying 
 to the spot. The novices squatted down 
 some yards away, as a sign of respect, but 
 the phoongyees advanced to the wounded 
 man, who had by this time regained con- 
 sciousness. They spoke to him for some 
 minutes with marked solicitude, and then 
 assisted him to walk to the monastery. 
 
 Cameron and Murray drove home and sat 
 down to breakfast on the verandah. They 
 were lingering over their meal, when a 
 sturdy young Burman walked boldly up the 
 steps and said to Cameron — 
 
 " The phoongyee whose head the English 
 gentleman opposite to you bound up so 
 skilfully that he did not die, has- commanded 
 me to beg you and your kind friend to call 
 and see him at the monastery before sunset." 
 
 " Tell the good phoongyee that we will 
 certainly do as he desires," Cameron replied ; 
 and the messenger departed. 
 
 " What does he want to see us about ? " 
 
 *5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Murray asked, after Cameron had translated 
 the message. 
 
 "He probably wants to thank you for 
 your timely aid," Cameron replied ; " but I 
 accepted the invitation because I know you 
 will find a visit to the monastery exceedingly 
 interesting. Of course I will go with you, 
 to act as interpreter." 
 
 It was late in the afternoon when they 
 arrived at the monastery, an elaborately 
 carved wooden building surrounded by 
 tamarinds, areca, and palmira palms. A 
 novice was standing at the gate, evidently 
 on the look-out for them, and he at once 
 escorted them to a large hall, where they 
 found the old phoongyee sitting in solitary 
 state on a raised seat. His head was still 
 bandaged with Murray's handkerchief, but 
 he did not appear to be suffering. 
 
 " Sit down, please," he said feebly. 
 
 Cameron and Murray immediately sat, 
 tailor fashion, on the floor — Murray, anxious 
 not to commit any breach of Burmese 
 
 16 
 
The Phoongyee s Secret 
 
 etiquette, carefully copying all that Cameron 
 did, though he found it somewhat difficult 
 to keep his feet hidden from view. 
 
 "You English," the phoongyee began, in 
 a low, musical voice, " though you drink 
 spirits, slay cattle, and eat flesh, and have, 
 moreover, taken from us the land of our 
 fathers, are yet kind to the feeble and 
 distressed, be they rich or poor, white or 
 brown. You speak also the words that are 
 true ; but nevertheless you hanker after 
 riches, and will place your lives in danger 
 for silver rupees. I perceive your com- 
 panion does not understand my speech. 
 Promise me that you will faithfully repeat 
 to him in his language all my words." 
 
 " I promise." 
 
 "It is good. Your companion has been 
 kind to me, even as a mother is kind to her 
 child. With riches I will repay him. Now 
 listen attentively. In the country that lies 
 between the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers 
 there is a temple called the Sunrise Pagoda. 
 
 *7 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Tell your companion to go there, and, seventy 
 yards from the centre of the altar, search the 
 ground for a stone slab. When he has found 
 it, let him raise the stone and descend into 
 the earth. There he will find rubies and 
 other precious stones — bracelets, anklets, 
 ear-tubes and rings, all of gold, and piles 
 of Indian and peacock rupees. 1 Let him 
 take them all. Tell him now my words." 
 
 Concealing his great excitement as well as 
 he was able, Cameron repeated to Murray 
 all that the phoongyee had said. 
 
 "Is he in earnest ? " Murray asked. 
 " Perhaps the blow he received has turned 
 his brain." 
 
 " 1 think not," Cameron replied. " His 
 conversation is perfectly rational." 
 
 " But supposing the treasure is there, 
 what right has the priest to say we may 
 take it?" 
 
 " I'll ask him." 
 
 " I have told my friend all the words 
 
 1 Burmese rupees. 
 18 
 
The Phoongyee s Secret 
 
 that you have spoken," Cameron said to 
 the phoongyee, "and he bids me thank you 
 for them. But as the eighth commandment 
 of his religion is the same as the second 
 commandment of yours, he wishes to know 
 if the treasure belongs to any man. If it 
 does he cannot take it." 
 
 The priest grew angry. "Thinkest thou," 
 he said, "that I, a phoongyee, would tell any 
 man, even though he be a kala, l to steal ? " 
 
 "I do not think it ; but still, my friend 
 wishes to know how the treasure became 
 hidden there." 
 
 The phoongyee glanced round the hall, as 
 if anxious to assure himself that none of his 
 brother phoongyees or the novices were near, 
 and then replied cautiously, " Draw nearer, 
 and I will tell you about the treasure." 
 
 Cameron and Murray moved close to the 
 aged man, and then sat down again. 
 
 "The son of my brother," the phoongyee 
 said, " forgot all the precepts taught him 
 
 1 A foreigner. 
 19 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 while a youth, and became a dacoit bo. 1 
 His hands were red with blood, and women 
 and children feared him more than they did 
 tigers or deadly snakes. He burned villages 
 to the ground and crucified their headmen. 
 But after the Owner of the White Elephant 2 
 had been captured and sent across the sea, the 
 soldiers of the Great White Queen fell upon 
 the dacoits and slew them, my brother's son 
 alone remaining alive. He fled, wounded, 
 to a hermit's cave, and hid there for many 
 months. Then he came down to Rangoon 
 in disguise. But the sons of the jungle 
 droop in towns, and my brother's son soon 
 died. Before the breath left him he sent 
 for me — not that I might remain there to 
 protect his body from evil spirits, or pro- 
 claim the wretchedness of life, but that he 
 might tell me where his treasure — the 
 plunder collected by his lawless band — was 
 concealed. To me he made known the 
 exact spot. To me he gave all the pre- 
 1 Leader. 2 King Theebaw. 
 
 20 
 
The Pkoongyee s Secret 
 
 cious stones, money, and golden ornaments. 
 But at my consecration I vowed that I 
 would not take to myself even the value 
 of a dram of silver ; so the treasure has 
 remained untouched where the dacoits hid 
 it. Let your friend take it and do with it 
 what seemeth best to him." 
 
 Cameron rapidly explained to Murray 
 what the pkoongyee had said, and without 
 waiting for him to recover from his surprise, 
 declared to the venerable priest, " The 
 gratitude of my friend is more than words 
 can express." 
 
 " It is good. Now you must leave me ;" 
 and as the pkoongyee spoke he struck a 
 small gong which stood beside him. A 
 novice immediately entered and escorted 
 the Englishmen to the monastery gate. 
 
 "Well, what do you think of your good 
 fortune ? " Cameron asked, as the gate 
 clanged behind them. 
 
 " I really don't know what to think," 
 Murray declared, starting off almost at a 
 21 
 
The Dacoi£s Treasure 
 
 run in his excitement. " Do you believe 
 his story ? " 
 
 " Most certainly I do," panted Cameron, 
 who found it difficult to keep pace with 
 his friend. 
 
 " But, my dear fellow, doesn't it strike 
 you as being somewhat extraordinary for 
 him to bestow upon me, a total stranger, 
 so large an amount of valuable treasure 
 for such a trivial service as I rendered 
 him ? " 
 
 "Not at all — for the simple reason that 
 the Buddhist religion strictly forbids its 
 phoongyees to possess wealth." 
 
 " That is probably to prevent their 
 becoming worldly. Our friend did not 
 accumulate wealth, but merely accepted 
 a valuable gift " 
 
 " A most serious offence ! A pkoongyee 
 must on no account accept more than is 
 necessary for his immediate wants — enough 
 food to last for the day, and some cloth 
 when his garments are worn out. To 
 
 22 
 
The Phoongyee s Secret 
 
 accept money or jewels is a terrible sin 
 in the eyes of these people." 
 
 " Why in the name of goodness, then, 
 didn't the old fellow distribute his wealth 
 in charity ? " 
 
 " And thereby publish abroad his sin ? 
 That would have been very unwise." 
 
 " Then, as far as I can judge, our friend 
 has been in a very unenviable position ? " 
 
 " He has, undoubtedly. The hidden 
 treasure must have been a source of great 
 anxiety to him for many a long day. Your 
 timely service afforded him an opportunity, 
 such as he never had before, to dispose of 
 his wealth. Under the cloak of gratitude 
 — mind you, I don't say that he was not 
 grateful — he was able to ease his con- 
 science without exciting suspicion. I am 
 confident that he became possessed of the 
 wealth in the way he told us ; and now 
 that he has made over the treasure to you 
 he will forget that he ever knew of its 
 existence." 
 
 2 3 
 
 / 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 It appeared on the following day that 
 Cameron's idea of the phoongyee s intentions 
 was remarkably accurate. Cameron and 
 Murray called at the monastery to ascer- 
 tain from the phoongyee the exact position 
 of the Sunrise Pagoda, but the aged priest 
 declined to receive them. 
 
 ''Well," said Murray, as they turned 
 away, somewhat crestfallen, "it is evidently 
 a matter of conscience with the old man, 
 so I suppose we ought not to complain ; 
 but his scruples are -highly inconvenient, 
 all the same. However, we shall have to 
 manage without him. 
 
 "I say 'we,'" he went on, "because I 
 shall not attempt to go in search of the 
 place unless you can arrange to go with 
 me. I know enough of the country already 
 to be well aware that an expedition to the 
 Sunrise Pagoda is likely to be a highly 
 dangerous affair ; and I will only take 
 advantage of the phoongyee s information 
 on condition that you will help me in the 
 
 2 4 
 
The Phoongyee s Secret 
 
 search, and share with me whatever spoil 
 we may find. For you are the only man 
 in the country whom I can call friend ; 
 and to go on such an errand with merely 
 a few strange natives, of whose language 
 even I know nothing, into a country 
 swarming with dacoits, would be simple 
 madness. I would not run the risk for 
 ten times the value of the phoongyee s 
 treasure." 
 
 "Well, well," said Cameron, "I'll join 
 you. I fancy I shall rather enjoy the 
 adventure, even if we get no treasure for 
 our pains ! And fortunately my Eurasian 
 clerk can be relied upon to look after my 
 business for me while we are away.'' 
 
 " Thanks ! " said Murray gratefully, 
 grasping his friend's hand. 
 
 So it was settled ; and three days later 
 the adventurers started on their expedi- 
 tion. They were accompanied by Murray's 
 servant Johnson — a thick-set, jovial-looking 
 Londoner. While travelling by train from 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 Rangoon to Prome he was told of the 
 object of their journey, and was even 
 more pleased at the idea of some 
 adventures than at the promise of a 
 portion of the treasure. 
 
 From Prome the travellers journeyed 
 by water to Mandalay ; and Murray and 
 Cameron enjoyed their up-river trip im- 
 mensely. On board they made the 
 acquaintance of an elderly man, con- 
 nected with the Geological Survey of 
 India, whose tales of adventure and 
 discovery were wonderfully entertaining. 
 
 " Have you ever heard of the Sunrise 
 Pagoda ? " Cameron ventured to ask him, 
 on the second day. " It's somewhere in 
 Upper Burma, I believe." 
 
 " No, I can't say that I have," the 
 geologist replied ; " but, bless you, there 
 might be a hundred pagodas with that 
 name in this country without one hearing 
 of them. What is this particular pagoda 
 famous for ? " 
 
 26 
 
The Phoongyees Secret 
 
 " I don't know that it is famous," 
 Cameron said cautiously, " but my friend 
 and I are going to travel across country 
 from the Irrawaddy to the Chindwin, and 
 we heard that there was a pagoda of that 
 name somewhere about there." 
 
 " That is highly probable. Whether it 
 is worth seeing is another matter. Are you 
 travelling for pleasure ? " 
 
 " Yes, my friend is fresh from England, 
 and anxious for sport and adventure." 
 
 " His desire will assuredly be gratified if 
 you are going in the direction you have 
 mentioned, for Po Thaw is usually to be 
 met with thereabouts, and he is certain to 
 cause you considerable trouble. He is the 
 most notorious bo that this country has 
 ever produced. He has defied the Govern- 
 ment again and again, and, in spite of all 
 the efforts of the military and police, he 
 practically rules the land from the Irra- 
 waddy to the Chindwin. His ferocious 
 cruelty is something appalling, and his 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 hatred of Europeans amounts almost to 
 madness. I am too old a traveller to wish 
 to dissuade you from continuing your 
 expedition, but I must urge you to take 
 a thoroughly trustworthy guide. Unless 
 you do, you will probably very soon find 
 yourselves in Po Thaw's clutches. I have 
 on board the very man you need. He 
 knows Upper Burma thoroughly, and is as 
 true as steel. He hates dacoits like poison, 
 and has very good reason for doing so, as 
 they crucified his father and strangled his 
 mother." 
 
 " Does he speak English? " Murray asked. 
 
 "Fluently," the geologist replied. "In 
 fact, his knowledge is a little too good, 
 for he has translated the Lawkanidi, the 
 Burmese book of proverbs, and studs his 
 conversation with its wise sayings. Would 
 you like to speak to him ? " 
 
 "Yes, if he is open to an engagement." 
 
 "His service with me expires directly 
 we reach Mandalay. I'll call him." 
 
 28 
 
The Phoongyees Secret 
 
 Tha Bu, the guide in question, quickly 
 obeyed the geologist's call. Like most 
 Burmans, he was short, thick-set, and 
 attired in the brightest of skirts and 
 turbans. He greeted the Englishmen with 
 a kind of half-military salute, placed his 
 huge cheroot in his mouth, and waited to 
 hear what was required of him. 
 
 " These gentlemen," the geologist said to 
 him, " require a Burman to guide them 
 through the country which lies between 
 the Irrawaddy and the Chindwin. I have 
 recommended you." 
 
 Tha Bu smiled, and said pleasantly, " I 
 shall consider it a great honour to serve 
 the white masters." 
 
 "If you serve us faithfully, you shall be 
 liberally rewarded," Cameron declared. 
 
 " Liberality begets love and attracts at- 
 tendants," Tha Bu promptly replied, " but 
 niggardliness arouses hatred and keeps a 
 man solitary." 
 
 11 Is that his usual style of conversation ? " 
 Murray inquired in an undertone. 
 29 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 "Oh, no! He is only trying to impress 
 you with his wisdom," the geologist replied, 
 laughingly. "He drops his fine talk in 
 time of danger, or when matters of im- 
 portance have to be attended to." 
 
 " How many white masters are going?" 
 Tha Bu asked. 
 
 "Three," Cameron replied. 
 
 " With new rifles from England ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 A smile of intense satisfaction passed over 
 the Burman's face, and he muttered, loudly 
 enough for the Englishmen to hear, " Now 
 thou dog, Po Thaw, beware ! " 
 
 Terms were easily arranged, and Tha 
 Bu was installed as guide forthwith. He 
 proved his usefulness as soon as the 
 adventurers stepped off the steamer at 
 Mandalay by taking them straight to the 
 most comfortable hotel in the city. He 
 allowed his "white masters" barely half 
 an hour to settle themselves, and then, 
 entering their room, he saluted them and 
 
 30 
 
The Phoongyee s Secret 
 
 said abruptly, "A buffalo delights in mud, 
 a duck in a pond, a priest in the Law ; 
 but a woman delights in her husband." 
 
 Cameron nodded his head approvingly. 
 
 " Such a woman is Mah Shway O, my 
 wife," Tha Bu declared. 
 
 " I am exceedingly glad to hear it," 
 Cameron assured him. " But now let us 
 talk about our expedition." 
 
 " I was doing so : my wife says she will 
 accompany us." 
 
 " Nonsense ! We can't be hampered with 
 a woman," said Cameron shortly. 
 
 " The dangers of the journey will be 
 many," Murray joined in, " and your 
 wife might fall into the hands of the 
 dacoits." 
 
 " I have told her that," Tha Bu replied, 
 " but nevertheless she declares that if I go 
 with you, so will she." 
 
 "Very well, then, let her accompany us," 
 Cameron said, guessing at once that Tha 
 Bu, like most Burmans, had implicitly to 
 3i 
 
The Dacoif s Treasure 
 
 obey his wife. 1 "We shall start early to- 
 morrow morning". Have a boat ready for 
 us. The coolies and bullock-carts we can 
 hire when we have crossed the river." 
 
 1 King Theebaw was a notable example of a hen- 
 pecked husband. Queen Supayalat not only ruled 
 him, but practically ruled the whole of Upper Burma, 
 and the atrocities which marked his reign were, in the 
 majority of cases, instigated by her. 
 
 32 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 PO THAW APPEARS 
 
 AT an early hour the following morning 
 the three Englishmen and Tha Bu 
 started for the river-side. Mah Shway O, 1 
 Tha Bus wife, was awaiting them in the 
 boat, smoking the inevitable cheroot. She 
 greeted the travellers with a pleasant smile, 
 and then set to work to stow away the 
 baggage. The trip across the river was 
 uneventful, and the landing was effected at 
 a picturesque little village of bamboo-and- 
 mat huts. 
 
 All the inhabitants turned out to watch 
 the Englishmen land. " The white lords 
 
 1 A Burmese woman retains her maiden name after 
 marriage. Children are not named after either of their 
 parents. 
 
 33 
 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 want coolies and bullock-carts ! " Tha Bu 
 shouted ; and immediately some half-dozen 
 men advanced, squatting down when they 
 drew near to the Englishmen. 
 
 Cameron explained to them how far he 
 wanted them to accompany him, and offered 
 them good terms, which they promptly re- 
 fused. 
 
 A Burman is passionately fond of driving 
 a bargain — not so much for the sake of 
 profit as for the pleasure of arguing. He 
 is wonderfully proud of obtaining an anna 
 more than is offered him. 
 
 Cameron, of course, knew the national 
 failing, and had purposely offered the men 
 a trifle less than he intended to pay them. 
 The Burmans produced their most weighty 
 arguments, and Cameron gravely answered 
 them. After the discussion had lasted for 
 ten minutes, Cameron offered to raise the 
 pay one anna per man per week. The offer 
 was immediately accepted, and everybody 
 was perfectly satisfied. 
 
 34 
 
Po Thaw Appears 
 
 In less than an hour the expedition started 
 from the village. At the head of it marched 
 Tha Bu and Johnson. Then came two 
 bullock-carts and four spare bullocks, fol- 
 lowed by Cameron and Murray. Four 
 Burmese coolies brought up the rear. The 
 three Englishmen and Tha Bu carried both 
 rifles and revolvers, but the coolies and cart- 
 men were armed only with daks, 1 which they 
 carried slung over the left shoulder. Mah 
 Shway O, too, who rode in the first bullock- 
 cart and appeared to consider the expedition 
 excellent fun, had a dak beside her, which 
 she declared she would use if necessity 
 required. The Burmans had discarded 
 their brilliant turbans, and had tucked their 
 skirts tightly between their legs, fastening 
 them at the waist behind. 
 
 For an hour or so they journeyed through 
 the dense jungle, Johnson and Tha Bu 
 
 1 A dah is a formidable, long-handled weapon, 
 slightiy curved backwards in the blade and used, as 
 occasion may require, as a sword or a knife. 
 
 35 3 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 discussing the probability of a fight with the 
 dacoits, as the party forced their way through 
 the thick, tangled undergrowth. They were 
 far more anxious to meet the fiendish robbers 
 than were Cameron and Murray. The heat 
 was intense, for the elephant-grass, which 
 grew to a height of over twelve feet on 
 either side of the narrow track, kept off any 
 little breeze there might have been. 
 
 Late in the day they reached a monastery, 
 and a few minutes later a village, where they 
 halted. The villagers greeted them most 
 hospitably, placing food and drink before 
 them without any thought of payment. 
 
 The travellers soon saw that an event of 
 some importance was about to take place 
 in the village. Tha Bu made inquiries 
 among the people, and obtained the informa- 
 tion he required. 
 
 "To-morrow, sir," he reported to 
 Cameron, " the headman's son is to be 
 made a monk." 
 
 " But this is not the usual time of year 
 36 
 
THEY FORCED THEIR WAV THROUGH THE THICK, TANGLED 
 UNDERGROWTH." 
 
Po Thaw Appears 
 
 for an ordination," Cameron replied sus- 
 piciously. 
 
 " It is not, sir, but the pious head of the 
 monastery has permitted the present candi- 
 date to be ordained at this season, as illness 
 prevented his presenting* himself at the proper 
 time. The headman will be pleased if you 
 are present at the festivities." 
 
 " One word for the headman and two for 
 yourself, Tha Bu," Cameron answered, 
 smiling. " I suppose you enjoy a show 
 as much as the majority of your country- 
 men r 
 
 Tha Bu drew himself up. " I am what 
 nature made me," he replied with dignity, 
 "and the wisdom that I have acquired can- 
 not stifle my national tastes." 
 
 " Is an ordination ceremony a showy 
 affair, then ? " asked Murray, who had been 
 listening to the conversation. 
 
 " The ceremony itself is exceedingly 
 solemn," Cameron replied, "but the events 
 which precede it are decidedly frivolous and 
 39 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 gay, as the last day of a Burman's life as a 
 layman is spent in a manner which, from a 
 Christian point of view, would be considered 
 the reverse of a suitable preparation for a 
 monastic life. The Burmese look at the 
 matter in this light : If a man has never 
 indulged in the pleasures and dissipations of 
 the world, his retiring from it is no great 
 work of merit ; but if, on the other hand, he 
 spends the last day or two of his life as a 
 layman in the full enjoyment of every plea- 
 sure dear to a Burman's heart, the austerity 
 of a monastic life will be more keenly felt by 
 him, and consequently his act of renuncia- 
 tion will be the more meritorious." 
 
 On the following day, at the hour ap- 
 pointed for the festivities to commence, the 
 Englishmen made their way to the headman 
 of the village, who provided seats for his 
 visitors where they could watch the whole of 
 the proceedings, which began with a pro- 
 cession, headed by a band consisting chiefly 
 of drums and discordant reed instruments. 
 
 40 
 
Po Thaiv Appears 
 
 Girls were to be seen attired in brilliant 
 costume and loaded with jewellery ; women 
 were there with fruit and flowers for the 
 pagodas ; and men carried aloft an imita- 
 tion tree made of bamboo, from the branches 
 of which were suspended the future priest's 
 collecting bowl, fan, water-bottle, etc. Then 
 came the future priest himself. His clothes 
 were gorgeous. He had several gold rings 
 on each of his fingers, but instead of wearing 
 a turban his head was covered with tinsel 
 and gum-flowers. When the procession had 
 passed round the village, the youth moved 
 from the stage on which he had been carried 
 to a beautifully decorated throne, erected 
 outside his father's house. The crowd im- 
 mediately sat down in the road, leaving a 
 clear space in front of the throne for the 
 performers. Dancing-girls, jugglers, football 
 players, and boxing men in turn performed 
 before the throne, and the proceedings were 
 not nearly at an end when the Englishmen 
 retired from the scene. 
 
 4i 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Well, what did you think of the per- 
 formance ? " Cameron asked, as he and 
 Murray walked to the hut set apart for 
 them. 
 
 " Oh, I wasn't particularly interested," 
 Murray replied, " but possibly that was 
 because of a man in the crowd who was 
 watching us keenly all the time. First he 
 looked at us from one point and then from 
 another, and his looks were by no means 
 amiable. I am confident that he means to 
 do us some mischief if he can. When he 
 saw that I noticed him he walked away." 
 
 '.? Could you recognise him if you were to 
 see him again ? " 
 
 " Easily, by a deep gash on the lower part 
 of his left cheek." A few minutes later 
 Murray exclaimed, eagerly, "Look, Cameron, 
 yonder is the very man I was telling you 
 about ! Just see the swagger he puts on ! 
 He is evidently somebody important, by the 
 way people stare after him." 
 
 As the Burman walked along, his country - 
 42 
 
Po Tkazv Appears 
 
 men greeted him with discordant cries of 
 delight. One aged dame called his atten- 
 tion to the Englishmen. He glanced at 
 them, and with a shrug of his shoulders 
 made some remark which highly amused 
 the people. 
 
 " Who is that man ? " Cameron inquired 
 of a woman standing near. 
 
 She made no reply. Other women came 
 up and asked her what the white lords 
 wanted, but none appeared inclined to 
 answer Cameron's question. They looked 
 at the Englishmen's revolvers and then at 
 the Burman swaggering down the bullock- 
 cart track, and, evidently fearing for his 
 safety, shook their heads with a solemnity 
 rarely seen in the merry little women of 
 Burma. 
 
 " Come, come, tell me who is the brave 
 man you all smile on ? " Cameron said 
 coaxingly ; and a woman who had just 
 joined the group replied, " He is Po Thaw, 
 the brave bo." 
 
 43 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Po Thaw!" Cameron repeated in 
 amazement. 
 
 " Yes, Po Thaw, the brave do, the hand- 
 some be / " the woman replied ; and the 
 others echoed her words. 
 
 " Murray," Cameron said excitedly, as 
 they walked on, ' ' that fellow is the notorious 
 Po Thaw — one of the greatest fiends that 
 ever trod the earth. Many Englishmen 
 have been tortured to death at his order. 
 He it was, too, who stood by and jeered 
 while Tha Bus mother and father suffered 
 the horrible deaths to which he had con- 
 demned them." 
 
 ** Let us hurry on and shoot the 
 scoundrel ! " Murray exclaimed, grasping 
 his revolver. 
 
 "No, no, my dear fellow — that would 
 never do. His men are undoubtedly near 
 at hand, and we should be overpowered in 
 no time." 
 
 " But surely the villagers would help 
 us? ■ 
 
 44 
 
Po Tkazv Appears 
 
 " Help foreigners to fight their country- 
 men ! Is it likely ? " 
 
 " I understood you to say, some days ago, 
 that these dacoits plundered and murdered 
 their own countrymen. If that be the case 
 the villagers would have cause to bless us 
 were we to rid them of such vermin." 
 
 " Listen ! The villagers are greeting him 
 with shouts of ' The brave do ! ' ' The good 
 bo ! ' ' The handsome do ! ' and some are 
 cursing the kala dogs — us. The fact is, we 
 are in the midst of his friends. His 
 followers were, no doubt, largely recruited 
 from this village, which is, in all probability, 
 his native place. He destroys other villages 
 with fire and sword, but this one he protects, 
 and is consequently regarded by its inhabi- 
 tants with considerable affection. The 
 brave do, in the village he protects, is always 
 the hero of song and story, and the favourite 
 of the village belles." 
 
 "Then I suppose our hours are num- 
 bered." 
 
 45 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " I don't think that ; for the headman of 
 the village will take good care that we are 
 neither killed nor robbed while we are in 
 his district. Once we are out of it he won't 
 care in the least what happens to us." 
 
 When Cameron and Murray arrived at 
 their quarters they found Tha Bu in a state 
 of great excitement. 
 
 " I have been speaking to the vile dog 
 Po Thaw," he said. 
 
 " The murderer of your father and 
 mother," Johnson joined in. " And you 
 didn't kill him ? " 
 
 " Until a suitable opportunity for ven- 
 geance arrives, one should carry his enemy 
 on his shoulders," Tha Bu replied pompously. 
 "The time having arrived, he should dash 
 him to the ground and break him to pieces 
 like a jar on a rock." 
 
 " What did Po Thaw say to you ? " 
 Cameron asked, ignoring the guide's remark. 
 " He asked me many questions." 
 "Did he recognise you?" 
 46 
 
Po Thaw Appears 
 
 " I do not think so." 
 
 "Or see that you recognised him?" 
 
 "He did not think that his face was as 
 familiar to me as the mole upon my hand. 
 I pretended that I thought he was one of 
 the village men. He asked me in what 
 direction we were travelling on leaving the 
 village, but I told him the white lords did 
 not tell their servants whither they were 
 going." 
 
 " Do you think he will attack us in the 
 jungle ? " 
 
 " I do, sir, unless we push on to the 
 English fort before he has time to collect 
 his men." 
 
 "How far is the fort from here?" 
 
 " A day's march." 
 
 " Then we will start at once. Johnson, is 
 everything ready ? " 
 
 " Quite, sir." 
 
 In a few minutes the travellers were on 
 the march again. The Englishmen and 
 Tha Bu were on the alert for an attack, but 
 47 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the coolies were purposely kept in ignorance 
 of danger, to prevent their promptly bolting. 
 Hour after hour passed, but nothing what- 
 ever was seen or heard of the dacoits. 
 
 Shortly after sunset the travellers en- 
 camped in an open space on which stood a 
 number of dilapidated pagodas. Cameron 
 took every precaution against a surprise, 
 but, nevertheless, felt far from secure, and 
 wished heartily that he had a stronger force. 
 
 Murray, who was comfortably seated on 
 a reclining figure of Gautama, surveyed his 
 friend. Presently he exclaimed, " You're 
 looking precious serious, old fellow ! " 
 
 " Well, the fact is," Cameron replied, " I 
 think we have made a mistake in encamping 
 here. It would have been better had we 
 pushed on to the fort." Then, calling Tha 
 Bu, he asked — 
 
 " How far are we from the fort?" 
 
 "About four hours' march, sir," the 
 Burman replied. 
 
 "Can you lead us in the dark?" 
 48 
 
Po Thaw Appears 
 
 " Most certainly, sir. I can guide you in 
 the dark as easily as in the light." 
 
 " Then we'll start again in half an hour." 
 The whole of that night the little band 
 marched through the gloomy jungle. But 
 Tha Bu had evidently miscalculated the 
 distance. For six hours they had been on 
 the march, and still they had not reached 
 the fort. Yet, spent and exhausted though 
 they were, they dared not rest. Cameron 
 was convinced that the dacoits were dogging 
 their steps through the jungle, and at any 
 moment the insidious foe might be upon 
 them. So they stumbled on through the 
 darkness, praying for the dawn, starting 
 almost at the sound of their own footsteps, 
 and hardly daring to speak above a whisper. 
 Had Tha Bu lost his way? 
 
 49 
 

 CHAPTER III 
 
 A FIGHT WITH THE DACOITS 
 
 THE terrible suspicion of Cameron and 
 Murray that Tha Bu had lost his way 
 grew stronger every moment. Soon the sus- 
 pense became perfectly unendurable. " Tax 
 him with it," Murray at last urged, "and let 
 us know the worst without further delay." 
 
 " I will," Cameron answered shortly, and 
 sent a cartman forward to tell the guide to 
 come to him at once. 
 
 Tha Bu obeyed the command with his 
 customary promptitude. " The English 
 masters are anxious," he said, before 
 Cameron had time to speak. " I can see 
 it plainly in their faces. But what is the 
 
 reason 
 
 ? " 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 His composure at once restored the 
 Englishmen's confidence in him. But to 
 make assurance doubly sure, Cameron said, 
 " I suppose you are quite certain that this 
 track leads to the fort ? " 
 
 " I am, sir," Tha Bu replied, with 
 emphasis. " Do the English masters doubt 
 it ? " he continued. " Twice I have done 
 this journey in the time I. told you it would 
 occupy ; but nature has since raised obstacles. 
 When I last travelled this way the vile dog 
 Po Thaw was not known, and my country- 
 men were continually passing in safety along 
 this track. But none travel this way now, 
 for Po Thaw's cruel deeds are known to 
 every Burman, and the vile bo is feared more 
 than deadly cholera. So the jungle plants 
 have sprung up again all along the track and 
 made travelling difficult. Now the English 
 masters know why our journey has taken 
 longer than I said it would. The wisest 
 men sometimes " 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Cameron, cutting short 
 5i 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the inevitable proverb, " your explanation is 
 perfectly satisfactory. Hurry back to your 
 post." 
 
 Considerably relieved in mind, the 
 Englishmen stepped out with renewed 
 vigour, and at five o'clock in the morning 
 the travellers reached the fort. 
 
 Lieutenant Mills, the officer in command, 
 welcomed them heartily. He was a smart, 
 good-looking young fellow, with an air of 
 determination about him which marked him 
 as a man admirably suited for the dangerous 
 and responsible position he occupied. 
 Cameron had known him when he was 
 stationed at Rangoon, and the meeting was 
 a pleasant surprise for both. 
 
 "My quarters are not exactly palatial," 
 he said with a smile, leading the way to a 
 bamboo hut raised on piles some three or 
 four feet from the ground, "but they are 
 comfortable, and that's the great thing." 
 
 The travellers fully appreciated the com- 
 forts of the lieutenant's hut, when, having 
 
 5 2 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 refreshed themselves, they lay at their ease 
 in luxurious long chairs, and prepared to 
 answer Mills' very natural inquiry — 
 
 " What in the name of everything that's 
 extraordinary has brought you up here ? " 
 
 " My friend Murray is yearning for 
 adventure," Cameron replied, as he leisurely 
 lit a cheroot, "and I have caught the com- 
 plaint from him." 
 
 "Well, you have certainly come to the 
 right quarter. Of course you have heard of 
 Po Thaw ; but do you know that on 
 principle he tortures to death every English- 
 man he captures ? With such a small party 
 as you have, I do not see how you can 
 possibly escape falling into his hands. At 
 present he practically rules the whole of the 
 country between the Irrawaddy and the 
 Chindwin, and his spies are so numerous 
 that he is kept thoroughly acquainted with 
 the movements of every white man in the 
 district. Your journey has no doubt been 
 fully reported to him." 
 
 53 4 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Oh, yes, he knows all about it. We saw 
 him two days ago, and he saw us," Murray 
 calmly remarked. 
 
 " You saw him ? Where ? Where ? ' 
 Mills asked, rising excitedly from his chair 
 
 Murray told him all that had occurred at 
 the village. 
 
 " Yes, you undoubtedly did see the 
 scoundrel," Mills said ; " but why he did not 
 seize and crucify or burn you is more than 
 I can understand. Perhaps he had a bigger 
 job on hand. I wish I could meet the fiend." 
 
 " How is it that he manages to escape 
 capture ? " Murray asked. " And where does 
 he obtain his arms ? " 
 
 " The latter part of your question is easily 
 answered. Po Thaw held some appoint- 
 ment at King Theebaw's blackguardly court, 
 but when Mandalay fell into our hands he 
 did not accompany the ministers of State 
 who went out to meet our troops. The 
 Burmese were supposed to have laid down 
 their arms, but while the people were 
 
 54 
 
A Fight ivith tfie Dacoits 
 
 flocking to the gates to witness our soldiers 
 entering the capital, a large mob of ruffians, 
 headed by Po Thaw, collected all the arms 
 that could be found and escaped with them. 
 The result you and all the world know. 
 Po Thaw, being a man of considerable 
 ingenuity, and possessing an unrivalled 
 knowledge of the country, has successfully 
 defied us ever since. After he has made a 
 raid on some village which is not under his 
 protection, he disperses his large band, to 
 meet again on an appointed day at some 
 spot many miles away. He has several 
 lieutenants as remorseless as himself, and 
 sometimes as many as three villages are 
 plundered in one day." 
 
 "Then we have precious little chance of 
 
 ever " Murray commenced, and then 
 
 stopped short. 
 
 "Go on, old man. Tell Mills the object 
 of our expedition," Cameron said quickly, as 
 he viciously crushed a particularly persistent 
 mosquito. 
 
 55 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Murray was considerably relieved. He 
 was one of those who never can keep a 
 secret for any length of time. 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation he briefly 
 but lucidly told the young officer the story of 
 the phoongyees treasure. 
 
 "What a tremendous bit of luck!" Mills 
 exclaimed. " But take my advice," he 
 continued, " and wait until we have captured 
 Po Thaw before proceeding in search of the 
 treasure. While he is at large it is simply 
 madness to think of attempting to reach the 
 Sunrise Pagoda. If your party were more 
 numerous, it would be different." 
 
 " But I can't leave my business for too 
 long a period," Cameron objected, "and 
 Murray and I have determined to push 
 forward at all costs as quickly as possible.' 
 
 At that moment a smart young sergeant 
 entered the hut. Saluting his officer, he 
 said briskly, " There's a Burman outside the 
 fort, sir, who says he has a letter to deliver 
 into your hands. Shall I admit him, sir? " 
 
 56 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 " I'll have a look at him first," Mills 
 replied, rising from his chair ; and taking his 
 field-glass, he at once proceeded to the edge 
 of the fort, accompanied by Cameron and 
 Murray, and surveyed the stranger. 
 
 Presently he called out, " Sergeant, let the 
 man pass ! " 
 
 The Burman soon advanced, casting 
 nervous glances at the sentry's bayonet. 
 He produced from his mouth a quill about 
 an inch in length, and delivered it to Mills, 
 who quickly extracted from it a piece of 
 paper about three inches square. There 
 was writing on it. He read it eagerly. 
 Then he turned to Cameron and Murray 
 and said seriously, " I say ! you fellows have 
 had a wonderful escape. Listen ! — 
 
 " ' To the Officer in Command. 
 
 " ' Be prepared, for to-morrow Po Thaw, 
 with a strong force, will attack you. In a 
 few hours he is going to kill three English- 
 men, who are resting for the night some six 
 hours' march from your fort. I would save 
 
 57 
 
The Dacoit s Treasure 
 
 them if I could, but long before this reaches 
 you they will have been crucified. Avenge 
 their death. Let my messenger return at 
 once. Give him no message and ask him 
 no questions.'" 
 
 For a few moments Cameron and Murray 
 were too horrified to speak. But Johnson, 
 who had also heard the letter read, 
 exclaimed gleefully, " What a sell for Po 
 Thaw ! He thought we were going to stay 
 at the pagodas all night ! " 
 
 Tha Bu was equally delighted at Po 
 Thaw's disappointment. In fact, his joy 
 was so great that * he quite forgot to utter 
 a suitable proverb. 
 
 " Po Thaw's loss will be your gain, I 
 hope," Murray said to Mills, later, "for 
 I need scarcely say the knowledge of the 
 bos kind intentions with respect to us will 
 make us willingly fight shoulder to shoulder 
 with your men." 
 
 "Your assistance will be very welcome," 
 Mills declared. " I have lost several 
 
 58 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 men recently through dysentery — poor 
 fellows ! " 
 
 " By the by, who is your correspondent?" 
 Cameron asked casually. 
 
 " I haven't the faintest idea who she can 
 be," said Mills. 
 
 " She ? " Cameron and Murray exclaimed 
 together, with increased interest. 
 
 " Yes, judging from the writing. Look 
 at it." 
 
 " Oh, yes, it's a woman's handwriting, 
 undoubtedly," Cameron declared, after 
 glancing at the note. " But how in the 
 name of goodness can an Englishwoman 
 have obtained a knowledge of Po Thaw's 
 plans? Perhaps she's a prisoner, though." 
 
 "That is scarcely likely," Mills said. 
 " Had she been a prisoner, she would not 
 have told us to ask her messenger no 
 questions. I think it more likely that she 
 is some foolish Eurasian girl who became 
 Po Thaw's wife, but has grown weary of his 
 incessant brutality. At any rate, whoever 
 
 59 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 she is, I am exceedingly obliged to her for 
 her timely warning." 
 
 Mills saw that the anonymous lady's 
 messenger was supplied with food and 
 drink, and then dismissed him. 
 
 A few minutes later he announced his 
 intentions respecting Po Thaw. "I'm 
 going to try to deceive the mighty bo" 
 he said. " The Burmese firmly believe 
 that Englishmen celebrate every piece of 
 good fortune by getting incapably drunk. 
 I am going to make Po Thaw believe 
 that the whole of my force is drunk, in 
 celebration of your arrival. I have a 
 Burmese prisoner, and when all my men 
 have simulated drunkenness, I'll make it 
 easy for him to escape. He'll hurry to 
 Po Thaw and bring the dacoits down 
 upon us at once, in expectation of an 
 easy victory." 
 
 " But," Cameron ventured to remark, 
 " although the Burmese never get drunk, 
 I fancy they know pretty well how long 
 
 60 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 it takes a European to recover from a 
 drunken bout ; and I imagine your prisoner 
 will know that by the time he finds his 
 comrades, everybody in the fort will be 
 sober again." 
 
 Mills laughed. "My dear fellow," he 
 said, "that just shows how little you know 
 of the ways of the wily Burmese. This 
 prisoner of mine will simply use one of 
 the peculiar, far-travelling cries common to 
 his race, and by that means he will 
 probably find his rascally friends in less 
 than half an hour ! Sergeant ! " he then 
 called to a man standing near ; and the 
 soldier was instructed to tell the men 
 quietly that they were to pretend to get 
 drunk. 
 
 " I will have some harmless concoction 
 served out to them," Mills explained, "and 
 they must appear to drink about ten times 
 as much as they really do. Every man in 
 the fort is to pretend he is intoxicated." 
 
 "The sentries too, sir?" the sergeant 
 61 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 asked, half convinced that his officer had 
 taken leave of his senses. 
 
 " Yes. They must pretend to fall fast 
 asleep, but at the same time they must 
 keep a sharp look-out. And when you 
 are drunk, sergeant — at least, when you 
 are supposed to be— you must drop a 
 knife near that Burmese fellow yonder, so 
 that he can cut the ropes that bind 
 him, and escape. I want him to have an 
 opportunity of telling Po Thaw that we 
 are all incapable of offering resistance, and 
 urge the bo to attack us quickly. Do you 
 thoroughly understand me ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir — thoroughly," the sergeant re- 
 plied, with a feeling of intense relief. 
 
 " Very well. Go and tell the men — but 
 remember, they are not to become up- 
 roarious. They may sing in moderation, 
 but in less than an hour after the drink 
 is served out I want all of them to pretend 
 to be asleep." 
 
 The sergeant saluted and retired. 
 62 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 When the men heard what they were 
 to do they entered into the spirit of the 
 thing at once. A liberal measure of weak 
 tea was served out to every man ; and they 
 pretended to enjoy it greatly. Mills secretly 
 filled a mug, similar to those from which 
 his men were drinking, with the contents 
 of a bottle of Bass, and then offered it to 
 the Burmese prisoner, who declined it. He 
 saw, however, that it was an intoxicant, and 
 of course imagined that all the men were 
 drinking the same beverage. 
 
 The soldiers acted their parts well. For 
 half an hour or so they appeared to be 
 drinking steadily. Then they commenced 
 to sing and dance, these amusements giving 
 way later to all manners of absurd acts. 
 One man gravely saluted a monkey that 
 was engaged in its usual occupation on the 
 top of a hut ; another, who was staggering 
 along, assumed the greatest terror on 
 meeting a harmless little lizard about half 
 an inch in length ; a third began to square 
 
 63 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 up to an image of Buddha, whom he 
 challenged to "come on"; a lance-corporal 
 began to chalk chevrons on the legs of a 
 bullock, while a private threw his arms 
 around a pillar of one of the huts and 
 affectionately kissed it. 
 
 While all this tomfoolery was going on, 
 the sergeant who had received Mills' in- 
 structions staggered towards the prisoner, 
 sat down near to him, and began to eat 
 plantains, peeling them with a well- 
 sharpened knife. After sitting there for 
 about ten minutes he staggered away, 
 leaving the knife lying on the ground. 
 The Burman quietly snatched it up and 
 hid it in his lungyi. 1 
 
 In a quarter of an hour every man whom 
 the prisoner could see appeared to be fast 
 asleep. He glanced at the officers' quarters, 
 and saw the three Englishmen slumbering, 
 as he thought, in their bamboo chairs. They 
 were watching him, however, and saw him 
 1 Skirt. 
 64 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 cut the ropes which bound him. After 
 that, he lay still for some moments. Then, 
 suddenly springing' up, he rushed quickly 
 and noiselessly across the fort, clambered 
 over the stockade, and was gone ! 
 
 Four hours later Mills, anxiously surveying 
 the jungle through his field-glass, saw several 
 fierce faces peering out. 
 
 " Don't show yourselves on any account," 
 he said to his men ; and the dacoits, having 
 come to the conclusion that their foe was 
 unprepared, quitted the shelter of the 
 jungle and advanced quickly towards the 
 fort. It was quite certain that they fully 
 expected to take the place by surprise, 
 for they did not, as is usual with them, 
 encourage each other with hideous war- 
 cries, but advanced in silence. There 
 were fully two hundred of them, some 
 armed with rifles, others with dahs and 
 long spears. Several bamboo ladders by 
 which they hoped to mount the stockade 
 were carried by the foremost men. 
 
 65 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Nearer and nearer they came, growing 
 evidently more confident of success the 
 closer they drew to the fort. 
 
 "Firei" Mills shouted. 
 
 Bang ! went the rifles, and many a dacoit's 
 career of rapine and murder was ended. 
 
 For a moment the robbers seemed in- 
 clined to bolt back into the jungle ; but 
 their leaders, with cries that the kala dogs 
 were few and they were many, succeeded 
 in checking their fright. With fierce, loud 
 cries they rushed madly forward. Again a 
 terrible fire was poured into them, with 
 deadly effect. Then came the order which 
 the British soldiers had been anxiously 
 awaiting — "Fix bayonets! " The gleaming 
 steels clicked into their places. 
 
 "Follow me, men!" Mills shouted, a 
 moment later. 
 
 The gate was opened quickly, and the 
 young officer, waving aloft his sword, dashed 
 out to meet the attackers. The dacoits were 
 taken completely by surprise. It had never 
 
 66 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 occurred to them that the Englishmen would 
 be so rash as to quit the fort. Some of them 
 promptly flung down their arms and ran 
 towards the jungle ; but the majority stood 
 their ground, and fought bravely. 
 
 In the excitement of the fight most of the 
 Englishmen had forgotten all about Po 
 Thaw ; but Mills, dashing from one spot to 
 another, sought eagerly for the notorious bo. 
 Suddenly he uttered a cry of delight. Near 
 him was a dacoit leader with a deep scar on 
 his left cheek. He rushed at him. The 
 dacoit smiled, parried the sword-thrust with 
 his dah, and lunged at his opponent, who also 
 turned aside the blow. But Mills was an 
 expert swordsman, and in less than a minute 
 his opponent was lying dead at his feet. 
 
 " Po Thaw is dead!" passed quickly 
 from one man to another. A rousing 
 cheer signalled the good news, and in a 
 few minutes the enemy was in full flight. 
 Then the British soldiers crowded round 
 the dead bo, eager to see the man whose 
 
 67 
 
The Dacotfs Treastire 
 
 infamous cruelties had made the most 
 callous among them shudder. 
 
 Tha Bu had been anxiously seeking for 
 Po Thaw during the fight, and when he 
 heard that he was killed, he exclaimed 
 frantically, "Killed! Killed! And not by 
 my hand ! Let me go and spit on the 
 dead dog." 
 
 He pushed his way unceremoniously 
 through the crowd, gave one look at the 
 dead man, and then shouted, M That's not 
 Po Thaw ! " 
 
 The soldiers were indignant at what they 
 considered an unwarrantable attempt to rob 
 their officer of his victory. " Look at the 
 scar on his left cheek ! " they exclaimed 
 loudly and angrily. 
 
 " I see it," Tha Bu replied contemptu- 
 ously. " But does a vain Baboo become 
 an Englishman by putting on English 
 clothes ? Certainly not ! Nor does a dacoit 
 become Po Thaw by scarring his face. He 
 has done that to deceive you all. Many 
 
 68 
 
A Fight with the Dacoits 
 
 months ago an English officer tried to kill 
 Po Thaw. He did not succeed, but he 
 wounded him badly on the left cheek. Po 
 Thaw has more wisdom than bravery, and, 
 fearing that he would be easily recognised 
 by the scar on his face, he gave an order 
 that every one of his chief lieutenants 
 should be cut on the left cheek, so as to 
 bear a scar similar to his. And now, when 
 some of the Indian soldiers of the Great 
 White Queen hear that the man with the 
 scarred face has been fighting in three 
 places at one time, they foolishly believe him 
 to be an evil spirit, and fear him the more." 
 
 " I suppose you do really know Po Thaw 
 when you see him ? " said Mills, somewhat 
 dejectedly. 
 
 " I do, sir," Tha Bu replied. " One may 
 cherish the memory but forget the face of 
 his parents' benefactors ; the features of their 
 murderer, once seen, can no more be effaced 
 than the tattoo marks upon my thighs." I 
 
 1 Every Burman is tattooed from the waist to the knees. 
 69 5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Did you see Po Thaw to-day ? " 
 
 11 I did not, sir. I should know him in a 
 moment amidst a thousand men with scarred 
 faces." 
 
 And then Cameron and Murray remem- 
 bered that the dead man differed in many re- 
 spects from the Burman whom they had seen 
 and heard hailed as Po Thaw, the brave bo. 
 
 Mills was terribly disappointed. The 
 fight had been a fierce one, and he had won 
 a victory to be proud of ; but still, he knew 
 only too well that the brave effort of that 
 day had been vain. Had Po Thaw been 
 present, and suffered defeat, it would have 
 been a severe blow to dacoity in that part of 
 Burma. But as things were at present the 
 bo would declare in every village that, had 
 he led the men against the kala dogs, he 
 would have won a great victory ; and the 
 credulous people would believe him and flock 
 to his service. 
 
 7° 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 "we have come to be your wives" 
 
 AN hour or so after the fight, Murray and 
 Cameron were busying themselves 
 over one or two of the soldiers who had 
 been rather severely wounded, when Mills 
 came up. After warmly thanking them for 
 their help, he inquired as to their plans for 
 the immediate future. They understood his 
 reason for asking when he explained later 
 that if they were still determined to find the 
 phoongyee s treasure, and would not take his 
 advice and wait until Po Thaw was captured, 
 it was necessary that they should hurry on to 
 the next fort at once. 
 
 "As I told you before," he said, "after 
 a raid upon a village, or a fight with our 
 
 7 1 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 troops, the bo almost invariably disperses his 
 band, with instructions to meet again on a 
 certain day at some distant spot ; and now is 
 therefore the best chance you will have of 
 performing the next stage of your journey 
 in safety." 
 
 " Then we'll push on at once by all means," 
 Cameron replied, and he gave Tha Bu in- 
 structions to put the little expedition in 
 marching trim with all speed. 
 
 An hour later the guide announced that 
 everything was ready. The adventurers 
 were loth to leave their kind host, but there 
 was very obvious danger in delay ; and so, 
 with many expressions of mutual goodwill, 
 the friends parted. 
 
 " I wish I could go with you," Mills said 
 at the last moment, "but that, of course, is 
 impossible. I won't disguise from you that 
 you are going on a very dangerous journey, 
 but I wish you every success, and shall be 
 heartily pleased to hear, if ever you obtain 
 the treasure, that it was worth risking your 
 
 72 
 
" We have come to be your Wives' 
 
 lives for." Then, turning to his soldiers, he 
 said, " Now, men, let us give them a parting 
 salute ; " and as the plucky little party filed 
 slowly through the gateway of the fort a 
 hearty cheer rang out, which the travellers 
 returned right lustily, while Mah Shway O, 
 anxious to share in the demonstration, pulled 
 her husband's turban from his head and 
 waved it wildly in the air. 
 
 An hour passed quickly by, and Cameron 
 and Murray were just congratulating them- 
 selves on the rapid progress they were 
 making, when they saw the man in charge of 
 the first bullock-cart suddenly dash into the 
 jungle, quickly followed by Mah Shway O, 
 who seized him by the hair and promptly 
 brought him tremblingly back. 
 
 Murray laughed. " That was smart work," 
 he said. " But what made the fellow " 
 
 He stopped short, seized Cameron by the 
 arm, and pointed along the jungle path. 
 Some thirty well-armed dacoits were march- 
 ing ahead of them. Discovery was certain, 
 
 73 
 
The Dacoi£s Treasure 
 
 for the track, which, since they left the fort, 
 had been of a zigzag description, was now 
 straight for a considerable distance. With 
 laudable presence of mind, Tha Bu ran to 
 the right of the path and shouted in Hindu- 
 stanee, "Charge!" then, rushing quickly to 
 the left, exclaimed in the same language, but in 
 a different tone of voice, "Forward! Quick!" 
 
 Hearing the two commands, the dacoits 
 imagined that they were about to be attacked 
 by two separate detachments, and, without 
 looking round, fled into the jungle. 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson laughed 
 heartily, and warmly congratulated Tha Bu 
 on his presence of mind. 
 
 "Yes," Tha Bu replied gravely, "in battle 
 a warrior is needed, in commotion a counsellor, 
 at meals a loved one, ' but in an emergency 
 a wise man." 
 
 " Well, your trumpeter ain't dead, at any 
 rate," Johnson observed. 
 
 1 Burmese women are supposed to wait on their 
 husbands at meals, and eat their own food afterwards. 
 
 74 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 " Dead ? Nobody was killed ! " 
 
 " I mean it's like your cheek to call your- 
 self a wise man. It's downright conceit." 
 
 "A worthless man always notices the 
 trivial faults of others, even though they be 
 as small as a sesamum" Tha Bu replied 
 airily, " but his own fault, as large as a cocoa- 
 nut, he does not see." 
 
 "Well, what's my cocoanut fault? " John- 
 son asked. 
 
 " You talk too much. Flavourless is a 
 betel-leaf without lime, tasteless a curry 
 destitute of salt ; and senseless the utterances 
 of one without knowledge." 
 
 Johnson laughed. " If I talk too much," 
 he said, " I wonder what you do. Your 
 tongue is wagging from morning till 
 night." 
 
 Cameron and Murray, who had been 
 listening with considerable amusement, now 
 thought it time to" interfere. 
 
 " Come, come," Cameron said, " we can't 
 afford to waste time like this. Tha Bu, tell 
 
 75 . 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 the cartmen that the next man who tries to 
 escape will be killed on the spot." 
 
 While Tha Bu was speaking to the cart- 
 men, Cameron thanked Mah Shway O for 
 her promptitude in arresting the runaway. 
 The charming little woman beamed with 
 delight, and accepted with undisguised 
 pleasure a couple of cheroots from the 
 Englishmen. As she was smoking at the 
 time, she placed a cheroot in the pierced and 
 distended lobe of each ear, so that they might 
 not be stolen or mislaid. 
 
 Then Cameron turned to Tha Bu. " Do 
 you think the men we saw just now are 
 likely to waylay us ? " he asked. 
 
 " I do not, sir," Tha Bu replied. "They 
 were some of the dacoits who attacked the 
 fort, for I saw five wounded men with them. 
 They are evidently making their way to their 
 meeting-place, which is, no doubt, many 
 miles distant." 
 
 In spite of Tha Bu's reassuring explana- 
 tion, the travellers proceeded very cautiously, 
 
 76 
 
" We have come to be your Wives 
 
 and it was late in the day when they arrived 
 at their resting-place — a village of consider- 
 able size. The inhabitants were most 
 hospitable, and food was quickly set 
 before the wayfarers in the rest-house. A 
 respectful crowd sat a few yards away, 
 watching with interest every mouthful 
 they took. Johnson suggested that prob- 
 ably they had heard that Englishmen eat 
 with their ears. 
 
 When the meal was finished, the people 
 crowded round Tha Bu and plied him with 
 questions as to who the white lords were, 
 and whither they were going. Tha Bu 
 cleverly satisfied their curiosity without im- 
 parting any important information. Then 
 he in turn asked questions. He inquired as 
 to the whereabouts of the dacoits, and heard 
 that they were in full flight in a northerly 
 direction. He was also informed that on 
 the following day a famous priest was to be 
 cremated. Tha Bu was naturally most 
 anxious to witness the ceremony, and 
 
 77 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 suggested to Cameron that they should 
 have a day's rest in the village. 
 
 " The dacoits are not likely to attack us 
 here, sir," he said, "for the village is fairly 
 well protected, and the people hate Po Thaw, 
 who has frequently stolen their cattle." 
 
 " I'll hear what Mr. Murray says," Cameron 
 answered. 
 
 "When leaders are many," Tha Bu 
 muttered, "all consider themselves very 
 wise, and each desires his own way ; con- 
 sequently their undertaking ends in ruin." 
 
 Ignoring Tha Bu's uncomplimentary 
 remark, Cameron went in search of Murray. 
 He found him seated on a mat, smoking a 
 pipe, and surrounded by an admiring crowd 
 of smiling Burmese girls. 
 
 "Hallo, Murray!" he laughed, "you've 
 made a wholesale conquest." 
 
 "It appears so," Murray replied, "and I'm 
 exceedingly gratified to find that my type of 
 beauty is so well appreciated." 
 
 " Don't flatter yourself, my boy. The 
 78 
 
' SURROUNDED BY AN ADMIRING CROWD OF SMILING BURMESE GIRLS. 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 girls are not admiring your face, but your 
 pipe." 
 
 Murray was considerably astonished. He 
 removed the pipe from his mouth and criti- 
 cally examined it. 
 
 " Cameron," he said, with mock solemnity, 
 " I sadly fear that you're horribly jealous of 
 my popularity with these charming little 
 ladies. It is most unlikely that a common 
 meerschaum would be the object of so much 
 feminine attention." 
 
 11 An ordinary clay would have been 
 equally as attractive," Cameron declared, 
 "for evidently not one of them has ever 
 seen a pipe before. Cheroots are too 
 plentiful for pipes to be introduced 
 among them. Ask one of them to have 
 a draw." 
 
 .Murray held the pipe towards the girls. 
 After a considerable amount of giggling and 
 pushing, a coquettish little woman advanced 
 and took it. She placed it in her mouth 
 and puffed vigorously. Her friends struggled 
 
 81 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 to emulate her, and the pipe was not 
 returned to Murray until fully twenty 
 damsels had in turn placed it between their 
 round, betel-stained lips. 
 
 " Now, Murray," Cameron said, " perhaps 
 you can spare me a few moments. Would 
 you like to see a phoongyee by an ? " 
 
 " A what?" Murray asked. 
 
 " A phoongyee by an." 
 
 " Well, it doesn't sound as though it were 
 the kind of thing I am pining to see. Per- 
 haps you'll kindly tell me in respectable 
 English what the object is." 
 
 "A phoongyee s funeral." 
 
 "Thanks. I'm 'off' funerals." 
 
 " But this is going to be a regular swell 
 affair. The deceased phoongyee was very 
 popular, and greatly beloved." 
 
 " Well, I shouldn't have thought it. The 
 people must be adepts in the art of concealing 
 their feelings, for they are as jolly as possible. 
 But perhaps they haven't heard yet of the 
 phoongyee s death." 
 
 82 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 " Oh, yes, they have. He died two years 
 ago." 
 
 " Two days ago you mean." 
 
 "No, I don't. I mean two years ago." 
 
 " Now look here, Cameron, there is a limit 
 to my credulity. I had my doubts about 
 your explanation of that pipe business, but I 
 swallowed your tale. I flatly refuse, however, 
 to believe that a dead body can be kept un- 
 buried for two years in this sweltering 
 climate." 
 
 " This body was embalmed," Cameron 
 explained, "and to-morrow it is to be 
 burned with great pomp." 
 
 " Oh, if it's a case of cremation I'll 
 certainly be present," Murray declared. 
 " I'm very keen on cremation," he continued, 
 "and have made my people promise to 
 dispose of my body in that way. But I 
 sincerely hope that Po Thaw won't fore- 
 stall my relations. I shouldn't like to be 
 cremated by him." 
 
 " Don't hint at such a thing, my dear 
 83 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 fellow. Dead or alive I trust we shall never 
 fall into that arch-fiend's hands. I'll tell 
 Tha Bu that we have decided to stay and 
 witness the ceremony.'.' 
 
 Directly Tha Bu heard his master's 
 decision he communicated it to the head- 
 man of the village, who immediately 
 hastened to the rest-house to see if he 
 could contribute in any way to the comfort 
 of the Englishmen. He was a pleasant, 
 good-natured old fellow, and sat talking to 
 Cameron and Tha Bu for some considerable 
 time. But when they mentioned Po Thaw 
 his face grew dark. 
 
 " Unless the soldiers of the Great White 
 Queen capture that fiend before many months, 
 this village will be burned to the ground and 
 the bones of its people will fertilise the soil," 
 he said sadly. 
 
 " We hate Po Thaw," he continued. " Our 
 old men and matrons curse him ; our maidens 
 and children turn pale and tremble at his 
 name. Our young men, one and all, have 
 
 84 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 refused to join his robber band, and for 
 this he threatens us all with horrible deaths. 
 But in spite of his threats we will not break 
 the commandments of Buddha, nor the laws 
 of the Great White Queen. Po Thaw may 
 crucify us, but in our next existence we shall 
 be better men, and he will be a dog or a vile 
 insect." 
 
 For a few moments there was silence. 
 Then the headman exclaimed cheerfully, 
 " But why anticipate the day of evil things ? 
 I must amuse you, and not make your 
 generous hearts sad." 
 
 He shouted for the football players to 
 come and perform before them. Eight young 
 Burmans, with their skirts tucked up around 
 their waists, advanced and stood in a ring at 
 intervals of two or three yards from each 
 other. The ball, about a third of the size of 
 an Association ball, was made of polished 
 bamboo wicker. A player punted it straight 
 up in the air, and, as it descended, received 
 it on his knee, sending it high into the air 
 
 85 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 again. As it fell, another player gave it a 
 fresh impetus with his elbow. In this way 
 the ball was passed from one man to another, 
 and with such accuracy that during the 
 quarter of an hour they played it did not 
 once fall to the ground. Nor was it kicked 
 out of the reach of the players standing in 
 the ring. 
 
 One young player gave a splendid ex- 
 hibition of his skill. He punted the ball 
 into the air with his bare foot and received 
 it, as it fell, behind him, on his heel, sending 
 it high up again, to descend on the shoulder, 
 the knee, the calf, the heel, the neck, or the 
 elbow. The player's graceful movements, 
 as he twisted and turned about to receive 
 the ball and skilfully launch it into mid- 
 air, excited the admiration Of the three 
 Englishmen. 
 
 When the play was finished, the headman 
 departed, and the travellers retired to rest. 
 
 It rained heavily throughout the night, 
 but they slept on undisturbed until Tha Bu 
 
 86 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 brought their breakfast to them. The un- 
 broken night's rest had given them excellent 
 appetites, and it was not until they had 
 satisfied their hunger that they noticed three 
 exceedingly pretty Burmese girls sitting a 
 few yards away, attentively watching them. 
 Their hair was decorated with many flowers, 
 and it was very evident that each had 
 devoted more than ordinary attention to her 
 toilet. 
 
 "What are those girls waiting for?" 
 Cameron asked Tha Bu. 
 
 "To speak to you, sir," Tha Bu replied, 
 with a merry twinkle in his eye. 
 
 "What about?" 
 
 " They have not told me, sir." 
 
 Cameron stepped out of the rest-house to 
 speak to them. Murray, Johnson, and Tha 
 Bu closely followed him. 
 
 " Do you wish to speak to us?" Cameron 
 asked the girls. 
 
 "Yes, my lord, we do," one of them 
 replied, taking the cheroot from her mouth, 
 
 87 6 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 but remaining seated. "We have come to 
 be your wives, for we see that you have 
 none." 
 
 Cameron was so astounded at this declara- 
 tion that he could not for the minute think 
 what to say. The young woman calmly 
 continued : " The village matrons speak no 
 scandal of us, and our brothers are not 
 ashamed to hear their friends talk of us in 
 the bazaar. We can cook, we can wash 
 clothes, and we have gone through the ear- 
 boring ceremony." l 
 
 "Your conduct, we are quite confident, is 
 irreproachable," Cameron declared, "and 
 you are as pleasing in our eyes as daybreak 
 is to the man who has trudged all night 
 through the jungle ; but — but you cannot 
 become our wives." 
 
 "Why not?" the maiden asked in 
 surprise. 
 
 " Because some day we shall return to 
 
 1 A ceremony marking the transition from girlhood to 
 womanhood. 
 
 88 
 
9 « . 
 
 " We have come to be your Wives 
 
 our own country, and if we were to take you 
 there the cold would kill you." 
 
 "We would wrap blankets round our- 
 selves." 
 
 "In our country no woman is allowed to 
 smoke cheroots or chew betel." 
 
 This piece of information considerably 
 astonished the Burmese girls. They dis- 
 cussed it among themselves for a few 
 minutes. Then the one who had before 
 spoken said, " Nevertheless, we will be 
 your wives and live happily until we go 
 to your country. Then we will cease to 
 smoke and to chew betel, and before many 
 months have passed we will die." 
 
 Cameron was at his wits' end. 
 
 " Where's Tha Bu ? " he asked, turning to 
 Johnson. 
 
 " I do not know where he has gone, sir," 
 Johnson answered, "but he said he would 
 be back in a moment." 
 
 "What's the conversation about?" Murray 
 inquired. 
 
 89 
 
The Dacotfs Treasure 
 
 " Oh ! I had quite forgotten that you don't 
 understand Burmese," Cameron replied. 
 "These three girls have actually come to 
 ask us to marry them." 
 
 Murray smiled. Johnson squared his 
 shoulders, gave his moustache an extra 
 twist, looked pleasantly at the damsels, and 
 then said to Cameron, "If you please, sir, 
 which is the girl that wants to marry me ? " 
 
 " I haven't the faintest idea," Cameron 
 declared. " They wish to be our wives, but 
 I don't know at all how they intend to pair." 
 
 "Shall we always have to live in Burma, 
 sir, when we're married ? " 
 
 Cameron laughed. 
 
 "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Johnson, 
 he said, "but I've declined their offer. 
 Unfortunately they don't appear at all 
 disposed to accept the refusal." 
 
 At that moment a curiously attired middle- 
 aged Burman came striding towards them. 
 He wore Chinese breeches, and in place of 
 a jacket a tigerskin was thrown over his 
 
 90 
 
" We have come to be your Wives" 
 
 shoulders. His beard was long and strag- 
 gling, and his hair, instead of being tied up 
 in a chignon, was hanging loosely down his 
 back. In his left hand he grasped a thick 
 bamboo. Directly the girls saw him they 
 began to tremble violently. 
 
 " Foolish maidens," he shouted fiercely, 
 " I have come to save you from ruin. You 
 asked the kalas to make you their wives. 
 Do not deny it, for I know you did. Every- 
 thing you say or do is known to me. Are 
 there no young men in this village, that you 
 wish to marry flesh-eaters ? Are there no 
 good Buddhists among the youths around 
 you that you would mate with these strange 
 men — these white fools, who, knowing not 
 the true Law, laugh at transmigration ? I 
 tell you this, foolish maidens : If you take 
 to your arms these slayers of cattle, and 
 drinkers of intoxicants, you will have to 
 suffer hereafter some of the horrible tortures 
 which are painted on the roof of the monas- 
 tery school. Go back to your huts and 
 
 9i 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 leave these kalas in peace. Go ! go ! and 
 remember what I now say : If you speak to 
 these men again, the nats l of the forest will 
 seize you." 
 
 The strange man, whose speech and 
 manner had impressed even Cameron, im- 
 periously waved the girls away with his stick. 
 Trembling in every limb, and not daring even 
 to look at the Englishmen, they rose up and 
 walked quickly away. The man followed, 
 muttering fiercely, and shaking his fist at 
 them. 
 
 The three Englishmen stood in silence, 
 gazing after the retreating figures. Sud- 
 denly they heard behind them a half-stifled 
 laugh. Looking quickly round, they beheld 
 Tha Bu. 
 
 " Who is that extraordinary individual ? " 
 Cameron asked, pointing to the weird 
 stranger. 
 
 "That man, sir ," Tha Bu commenced, 
 
 and then burst into a fit of uncontrollable 
 
 mirth. 
 
 1 Evil spirits. 
 
 92 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE "SPOTTED FACE 
 
 " ^\ \ 7 ELL, who is that strange creature ?" 
 » * Cameron asked, when Tha Bu's fit 
 of merriment had subsided. 
 
 " A wizard, sir," the guide replied, with a 
 broad grin. 
 
 " A wizard ! That accounts for his un- 
 complimentary remarks concerning us. All 
 your wizards have, I notice, an extraordinary 
 dislike for Englishmen." 
 
 " The wiser a man is, sir, the more they 
 dislike him. They hate me." 
 
 Johnson uttered an ominous grunt, but 
 Tha Bu continued, unabashed — 
 
 "Nevertheless, when I saw that the love- 
 sick maidens would not leave you I hurried 
 
 93 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 to the wizard's hut to tell him to drive them 
 away. He asked for one rupee, but I gave 
 him eight annas only. That was more than 
 sufficient, for the girls will think he dis- 
 covered by his own magical powers the 
 object of their visit. It will be talked about 
 in the bazaar, and the people will flock to 
 him more than ever." 
 
 " For what ? " Murray asked ; but Tha 
 Bu pretended not to hear the question. He 
 had a very patriotic objection to exposing 
 the failings of his countrymen. 
 
 " The Burmese are wonderfully super- 
 stitious," Cameron explained, " and their 
 wizards are consulted on almost every sub- 
 ject. Isn't that so, Tha Bu ? " 
 
 " It is, sir." 
 
 " But," Murray argued, " if you know 
 they are frauds, why don't you denounce 
 them ? " 
 
 " Because, sir," answered the wily Tha 
 Bu, " wizards are sometimes very useful to 
 me during my travels. Those maidens 
 
 94 
 
The " Spotted Face " 
 
 would not have left you had not the wizard 
 frightened them away." 
 
 " Poor little things," Murray said tenderly, 
 " I hope they will soon forget us." 
 
 "In two days you will be as forgotten as 
 the beatings their mothers gave them in their 
 childhood," Tha Bu declared. 
 
 "How do you know?" Johnson asked 
 angrily, preferring to believe that one of the 
 three girls was desperately in love with him. 
 
 But Tha Bu made no reply. Turning to 
 his masters, the guide adroitly changed the 
 conversation by reminding them that if they 
 wished to see the phoongyees funeral, it was 
 time they were off. 
 
 " Come along, then, Cameron," said 
 Murray. " I wouldn't miss that interesting 
 ceremony for anything.' 
 
 They hurried away at once, and reached 
 the monastery just in time to see the coffin 
 placed on the large four-wheel car in which 
 it was to be drawn to the place of burning. 
 On the car was a figure of a huge elephant, 
 
 95 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 in a kneeling position, with a stage resting 
 upon its back ; and on this stage the gor- 
 geous coffin was laid. The crowd now 
 became very excited, for a most important 
 part of the ceremony was about to take 
 place. Four strong ropes were fixed to the 
 axle-tree of the car, two each way, and the 
 men, dividing themselves into two parties, 
 seized them, and commenced the most 
 extraordinary tug-of-war that Europeans 
 ever witnessed. With loud shouts the 
 funeral car was pulled first one way and 
 then the other, every man exerting himself 
 to the utmost, being anxious to obtain some 
 of the merit to be derived from drawing the 
 coffin to the funeral pyre. 
 
 For nearly a quarter of an hour the tug- 
 of-war was continued without either side 
 gaining any permanent advantage. Then the 
 men on the northern side of the car pulled it 
 some ten yards, amidst the wildest shouts of 
 the onlookers. But in this effort they 
 exhausted themselves, and the men on the 
 
 96 
 
The "Spotted Face 
 
 southern side managed to pull the car back 
 more than thirty yards. In spite of all their 
 efforts the northern men could not regain 
 what they had lost. They grew desperate, 
 and, with perspiration streaming down their 
 faces and naked backs, tugged spasmodically 
 at the ropes, contesting every inch of ground, 
 but, nevertheless, slowly losing. The advan- 
 tage which the southern men had already 
 obtained, incited them to still greater efforts. 
 In a short time they pulled the car to the 
 left in a straight line for the pyre some 
 hundred yards away. Occasionally the nor- 
 thern men made a frantic effort to arrest the 
 progress of their opponents, and the car was 
 drawn back a yard or two, only, however, to 
 be pulled forward with less exertion imme- 
 diately after. 
 
 Thirty-five minutes from the commence- 
 ment of the tug-of-war the southern men, 
 almost mad with joy, drew the car up to the 
 pyre, which was erected in a large open 
 space. It was built in the shape of a seven- 
 
 97 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 roofed monastery, and was elaborately 
 decorated. The coffin was removed from 
 the car to a platform, underneath which was 
 a pile of highly inflammable material, and 
 the large crowd awaited the final scene in 
 breathless expectation. From the pyre 
 several ropes were stretched to some elevated 
 ground about fifty yards distant. Rockets 
 were fixed to them with ratan rings, and at 
 a given signal they were discharged, sliding 
 quickly along the ropes to the pyre, and 
 firing it. The flames spread rapidly, and in 
 an incredibly short time all that remained 
 of the pyre was a heap of ashes. 
 
 As soon as the ceremony was concluded, 
 the travellers prepared to proceed on their 
 journey. Their departure was witnessed by 
 the headman — who presented them with a 
 basket of particularly fine plantains — and 
 nearly all the village folk. Johnson looked 
 anxiously, but in vain, for the girls who 
 had wished to marry Englishmen. They 
 evidently dared not disobey the wizard. 
 
 98 
 
The " Spotted Face " 
 
 After leaving the village, the little party 
 covered many miles without adventure, until, 
 on arriving at a rest-house about an hour 
 before sunset, they found an elderly, long- 
 bearded Mohammedan sitting there, evidently 
 in great distress. 
 
 " Salaam, sahib," he exclaimed sorrow- 
 fully, bending low as Cameron advanced to 
 him. 
 
 " Salaam," Cameron replied, and then 
 asked, " Why are you alone in the jungle ? " 
 
 " Alas ! sahib," the follower of the Prophet 
 replied, " my servants are all dead. A month 
 ago I and my son quitted Mandalay with 
 twelve servants and five bullock-carts piled 
 with merchandise ; but a week since, Po 
 Thaw, the cruel bo, captured us. My ser- 
 vants he tied together and roasted alive. 
 My son he crucified, and me he vowed to 
 blow to pieces from his dragon -shaped 
 cannon. But, Allah be praised, the vile 
 dog's men were beaten in a fight with the 
 English soldiers ; and in the confusion which 
 99 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 ensued when Po Thaw heard of his men's 
 defeat, I escaped. For nearly a week I hid 
 in a ruined pagoda, only daring to creep out 
 at night in search of food. But when I 
 became sure that Po Thaw had left the 
 neighbourhood, I hurried here to wait until 
 some travellers came by to whom I could 
 offer my services in return for protection." 
 
 " Has Po Thaw quitted the neighbour- 
 hood, then ? " Cameron asked. 
 
 " Yes, sahib. By now the dog is many 
 miles away. I will swear it, for I heard him 
 tell his men to disband and meet again in 
 two weeks seven miles west of Malay. They 
 obeyed him at once, and disappeared into 
 the jungle in twos and threes." 
 
 " Are there any other dacoit bands about 
 here ? " 
 
 " No, sahib, none." 
 
 " And where are you bound for now ? " 
 
 " I know not, sahib. I am ruined, ruined, 
 and my son, my only son is dead. East or 
 west, north or south, it mattereth not to me 
 ioo 
 
The "Spotted Face" 
 
 at all, now, whither I go. Sahib, your party 
 is not large ; may I not join it ? I will work 
 hard from morning till night, and try, in 
 serving you faithfully, to forget my grief. I 
 know this part of the country well, and can 
 lead you through narrow jungle paths to any 
 place to which you wish to go." 
 
 " But we have a guide already." 
 
 " Yes, sahib, I know ; but your guide 
 might die, and if you had not another to 
 lead you, your party would be in terrible 
 danger." 
 
 " Quite true, quite true : I never thought 
 of that. Well, you may come with us." 
 
 " Sahib, I thank you. May you live to 
 a venerable age, and have an abundant 
 family ! " 
 
 " Do you know the Sunrise Pagoda?" 
 
 " I know it well, sahib, and can lead you 
 to it in seven days." 
 
 " Tha Bu ! " Cameron called out. 
 
 "Yes, sir!" the Burman replied, hurrying 
 to him. 
 
 IOI 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " This Mohammedan knows the Sunrise 
 Pagoda, and can lead us to it in seven days." 
 
 Tha Bu was evidently rather annoyed at 
 the prospect of having a rival, and said, as 
 he eyed the stranger suspiciously, " A horse's 
 worth is known by its speed ; oxen by their 
 carrying power ; a cow by its milk ; and a 
 wise man by his speech. Let this stranger 
 therefore speak with me, so that I may know 
 what kind of man he is." 
 
 For five minutes or more the Buddhist and 
 the Mohammedan engaged in an excited 
 conversation. Then Tha Bu reported to 
 Cameron, " The words he speaks appear to 
 be true and sensible ; but surely, sir, you will 
 not trust a man of whom you know absolutely 
 nothing? Me you know well, for I have 
 served many Englishmen ; and it will be 
 much wiser to trust me to lead you to the 
 Sunrise Pagoda than to be guided to it by a 
 man of whom you know nothing reliable, 
 and whom therefore you cannot trust" 
 
 " You misunderstand me, Tha Bu. I 
 102 
 
The " Spotted Face " 
 
 have perfect confidence in you, and what I 
 want you to do is to occasionally consult this 
 man, and accept or reject his information as 
 you think advisable." 
 
 " Very well, sir, I will do so." 
 
 The follower of the Prophet made himself 
 useful in many ways during the next half- 
 hour, and the Englishmen were just congra- 
 tulating themselves on having secured a 
 valuable addition to their party, when a 
 shout from Tha Bu made them turn round 
 in time to see the Mohammedan, with a rifle 
 in his hand, disappear into the jungle. 
 
 " Shoot him ! shoot him ! " Tha Bu shouted ; 
 and then it dawned upon the Englishmen 
 that the Mohammedan was decamping with 
 the rifle. They fired, and then rushed after 
 him ; but the man had vanished. 
 
 " Is it your rifle he has taken, Tha Bu ? " 
 Cameron asked, when at last they gave up 
 the search. 
 
 " Yes, sir," the Burman replied. " I laid 
 it down for a moment to attend to the kettle, 
 103 7 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 and when I went to take it up I found it had 
 gone. I looked round and saw the treacher- 
 ous man running away with it." 
 
 " Well, I'm glad he appeared in his true 
 colours so quickly." 
 
 " So am I, sir. I wonder where he would 
 have led us if we had trusted him ? " 
 
 " Ah, I wonder ! " 
 
 " Not to the Sunrise Pagoda ? " 
 
 "I'm afraid not. By the by, the cartmen 
 have worked very well to-day. Give them 
 that basket of plantains." 
 
 Tha Bu distributed the plantains among 
 the cartmen, declaring to them at the same 
 time that they ought to be very grateful 
 indeed to the English lords for giving them 
 what was at first intended for themselves. 
 
 Most of the men proceeded to make them- 
 selves comfortable before commencing to eat. 
 But one man, evidently more hungry than 
 his comrades, devoured a plantain at once. 
 In less than a minute he uttered a shriek of 
 pain, and fell forward to the ground in agony. 
 
 104 
 
The " Spotted Face" 
 
 "He's poisoned ! " Murray declared, as he 
 knelt down beside the poor fellow. 
 
 " Don't eat the plantains ! They're poi- 
 soned ! " Mah Shway O shouted excitedly, in 
 Burmese. 
 
 "Poisoned! What do you mean?" her 
 husband asked. 
 
 "Attend to the man. I will tell you after- 
 wards," she replied. 
 
 In less than ten minutes the cartman was 
 dead. 
 
 " Now, Mah Shway O, tell me how you 
 know the plantains are poisoned," Cameron 
 said sternly. 
 
 " My lord, I saw the Mohammedan who 
 stole my husband's rifle handling them. To 
 me he said, ' These plantains are very fine ; 
 are they for the English masters to eat?' 
 4 They are for the English masters,' I said ; 
 and soon after I saw him touching them 
 again. When he saw I noticed him he 
 moved away." 
 
 Cameron took up a bunch of the plantains 
 io 5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 and examined them closely. Then, turning 
 to Murray, he said quietly, " Every one of 
 these plantains is poisoned. They have been 
 punctured with some poisoned instrument. 
 Look at the small hole in the top of each one. 
 We have had a narrow escape. That ras- 
 cally Mohammedan thought the plantains 
 were for our consumption, and poisoned them 
 to kill us." 
 
 " But why should he want to poison us ? " 
 Murray asked. " We have done him no 
 harm ! " 
 
 "It may be that he or his religion has 
 received some slight, doubtless unintentional, 
 from a white man, and, meeting us, he made 
 up his mind to avenge it. It is more pro- 
 bable, however, that his reason was one we 
 shall never guess ; for most of the actions of 
 Asiatics are prompted by motives which to 
 us are perfectly inscrutable." 
 
 " Do you think, then, that his story of his 
 capture by Po Thaw, and subsequent escape, 
 is true ? " 
 
 106 
 
The " Spotted Face " 
 
 " Well, really, I don't know what to think. 
 But I know this, that if ever I come across 
 the rascal I'll show him no mercy." 
 
 By Cameron's order the plantains were 
 burned and the unfortunate cartman buried. 
 But scarcely had the poor fellow been com- 
 mitted to the ground when Murray ex- 
 claimed — 
 
 " Look, Cameron ! Here's another stranger ; 
 and, judging from his appearance, he is 
 twenty times more villainous than the Mo- 
 hammedan." 
 
 " Never judge from appearances in this 
 part of the world," Cameron replied, in 
 the tone of one who had done so and 
 rued it. 
 
 The stranger, a Burman, approached 
 them, timidly. His dress consisted chiefly 
 of a lungyi. His face was covered with 
 round marks, tattooed in the skin. When 
 the cartmen saw him they exhibited great 
 terror, and hid from his sight. Mah Shway 
 O, with a shrill scream, ran to her husband 
 107 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 and clung tightly to him. Tha Bu glared 
 fiercely at the stranger. 
 
 "Who is this man, Tha Bu ! " Cameron 
 asked sharply. 
 
 "Sir, he is a vile creature," the guide 
 replied excitedly; "he is a spotted face — 
 one of King Theebaw's executioners. Those 
 black circles on his cheeks proclaim his loath- 
 some profession." 
 
 Cameron well knew the intense hatred 
 which the Burmese entertain for public exe- 
 cutioners, and was disposed to order the 
 stranger instantly to depart. 
 
 "He stole a lungyi" Tha Bu continued, 
 " and was therefore made a government 
 slave to patrol the streets at night, put out 
 fires, and act as public executioner." 
 
 " But how do you know he stole a 
 lungyi?" Cameron asked, growing interested. 
 
 " It is tattooed on his breast. I can see 
 the words • lungyi thief from here." 
 
 " Ah, yes, so can I ! " 
 
 " Shall I drive the vile wretch away? " 
 108 
 
The " Spotted Face 
 
 " No, no. I want to speak to him." 
 
 The ex-executioner saw they were talking 
 about him, and squatted down in an attitude 
 of piteous supplication. 
 
 "What do you want?" Cameron asked 
 him. 
 
 " My lord, in pity hearken to my words, 
 
 though I am a vile creature and no better 
 
 than a pariah dog. One night, many years 
 
 ago, my house was burnt down and all my 
 
 clothes destroyed. I had not even a lungyi 
 
 to wear, nor money to buy one. My father, 
 
 a Hindoo, had undergone sumajk 1 many 
 
 years before, and my mother, too, was dead. 
 
 I had no friends to give me a lungyi, so I 
 
 stole one. Alas ! I was caught and branded. 
 
 For many years I was a public executioner ; 
 
 1 Samajh, or the burial alive of lepers, was, until the 
 British Government suppressed it, a very common prac- 
 tice in India. A leper, growing weary of life, would ask 
 his friends to perform stimajh, and they, finding him a 
 burden, would readily consent. A grave would be dug, 
 and the leper escorted to it with much pomp. The poor 
 creature would then sit down in the grave, which was 
 immediately filled in with earth by his friends. 
 109 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 but when the soldiers of the Great White 
 Queen captured Mandalay, and took away 
 the Lord of the Celestial Elephant, I had 
 to fly for my life. Since then I have lived 
 in the jungle, hiding from those who sought 
 to kill me. My lord, vile as I am, life is 
 sweet to me, and I long to reach a country 
 where the meaning of the spots on my face 
 will be unknown. Let me be your slave, 
 my lord, until we reach some place where 
 the great fire-boats start for other lands. 
 I will serve you faithfully, my lord ; and 
 if I break my word may all the curses of 
 the book of curses have effect on me ! " 
 
 Cameron repeated to Murray what the 
 wretched man had said. 
 
 " Do you believe his story ? " Murray 
 asked. 
 
 "Well, I've been so often deceived by 
 Asiatics that I very rarely believe anything 
 they say." 
 
 " Perhaps this rascal will emulate the 
 Mohammedan, and run away with a rifle ? " 
 no 
 
The " Spotted Face " 
 
 "He shall not have the opportunity. 
 Tha Bu, you heard what that man said, 
 did you not ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, I did hear," the guide replied. 
 
 " Do you think he is speaking the 
 truth ? Do you think that he has really 
 been hiding in the jungle since the capture 
 of Mandalay ? " 
 
 "Yes, sir, I think the words he has 
 spoken are probably true. While King 
 Theebaw reigned, the ' spotted faces ' were 
 feared more than the cholera, for no one 
 knew when he might be seized by them 
 and killed without trial. When the English 
 soldiers arrived at Mandalay the ' spotted 
 faces ' hid themselves, for they knew that 
 the people longed to kill them. Some were 
 dragged from their hiding-places and torn 
 to pieces by the mob, but others escaped to 
 the jungle. Possibly this man is one of them." 
 " Be sure that those circles are really 
 tattooed on him. They might be painted, 
 to deceive us." 
 
 in 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Dog, come nearer ! " Tha Bu shouted 
 to the "spotted face," who advanced in 
 great terror. 
 
 "Yes, sir, they are really tattooed," Tha 
 Bu declared, after closely examining the 
 marks on the man's face and chest; "and, 
 moreover, I recognise the vile fellow as 
 one of the king's executioners." 
 
 " Very well, then, he may take the 
 place of the cartman who has just died. 
 Tell him so." 
 
 Directly the "spotted face" heard that 
 he was to become a cartman, he squatted 
 down in front of the Englishmen and 
 exclaimed earnestly, " My lords, I thank 
 you. Many years have passed since I did 
 meritorious work, but I will strive to do it 
 now, by serving you faithfully." 
 
 " Mind that you do," Cameron replied, 
 "for if you take anything that is not yours, 
 be it but a handful of rice, you shall die." 
 
 " My lord, if I deceive my benefactors I 
 shall deserve to die the most painful death 
 112 
 
The "Spotted Face" 
 
 you can inflict. And now, my lord, hearken 
 to my words. You are in great danger, for 
 the dacoit bo is close at hand." 
 
 "Po Thaw?" 
 
 " Yes, my lord, Po Thaw — the fierce do, 
 who fears neither man nor the nats of the 
 hills and the forests. I have seen him but 
 a few minutes ago. I was wandering 
 through the jungle in search of food when 
 I heard some one approaching. Hiding 
 among the tall elephant-grass, I watched 
 to see who the stranger was. He was an 
 old, long-bearded Mohammedan, but never- 
 theless strong and agile. When he stopped 
 near where I was hiding, I feared that he 
 had discovered me, for he stood still and 
 looked around. But he had not, and, 
 thinking that no one was near, he plucked 
 the long beard from his chin and the 
 turban from his head. Then I saw that 
 he was Po Thaw." 
 
 " Was he armed ? " Cameron asked ex- 
 citedly. 
 
 113 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 "Yes, my lord, with a rifle such as you 
 have beside you. After removing his beard 
 and turban, he took off his long robes and 
 tied them up in a bundle. Then he disap- 
 peared quickly from my sight, carrying the 
 rifle in one hand and the bundle in the other." 
 
 "Were any of his men with him?" 
 
 " No, my lord ; he was quite alone." 
 
 "That Mohammedan," Cameron said, 
 turning to Murray, "was Po Thaw in 
 disguise." 
 
 He then repeated to Murray and Johnson 
 what the "spotted face" had told him, 
 adding gloomily, "I'm afraid our hours 
 are numbered, for Po Thaw knows our 
 strength, or rather our weakness, and will 
 swoop down upon us with a strong force." 
 
 " But he believes us to be all dead by 
 this time. He poisoned the plantains 
 because he was told we were going to eat 
 them, and he surely won't bring a large 
 force to seize our dead bodies ! " 
 
 "Ah, I forgot that! By the merest 
 114 
 
\ \ A 
 
 THA BU! WHO KILLED THIS MAN?'" 
 
 IP- 
 
The " Spotted Face 
 
 chance his plans have been upset, and we 
 may escape him after all." 
 
 " But — but our baggage. Po Thaw never 
 misses an opportunity to plunder, and he'll 
 send a party of men to remove our things 
 to-night or to-morrow. Believing us to be 
 dead he will, however, probably send but a 
 small force, knowing that the cartmen would 
 make no resistance. We must give them 
 an unpleasant surprise." 
 
 " Hadn't we better push on to the next 
 fort at once ? " 
 
 "What do you think, Tha Bu ? " 
 
 "Well, sir," Tha Bu replied, "the paths 
 have been heavy to-day and the bullocks 
 and the men are tired out ; but in four hours 
 they will be able to continue the journey." 
 
 " Very well, then, we will start in four 
 hours. Keep a watch on the ' spotted 
 face,' mind ! " 
 
 " Yes, sir, I will." 
 
 But when the time for the start arrived, 
 the "spotted face" was found by the 
 117 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Englishmen lying dead, with his head 
 nearly severed from his body. 
 
 "Tha Bu!" Cameron shouted, "who 
 killed this man ? " 
 
 " He was a vile creature," Tha Bu replied 
 evasively, "and it is well that he is dead." 
 
 Cameron and Murray looked at their 
 guide suspiciously. 
 
 "Did you kill him, Tha Bu?" Cameron 
 asked severely. 
 
 " The English masters should know by 
 this time that I am a good Buddhist," Tha 
 Bu made answer with dignity, " and that 
 I would kill no man — but a dacoit. It is 
 because the ' spotted face ' has so frequently 
 broken the commandment ' Thou shalt not 
 destroy life' that I said 'It is well that 
 he is dead.'" 
 
 Cameron then closely questioned, in turn, 
 every one of his men, but could obtain no 
 information as to who was the murderer. 
 So the "spotted face" was buried and the 
 travellers continued their journey. 
 118 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 ANOTHER FIGHT WITH DACOITS 
 
 BUT slight progress was made by the 
 little party during the two following 
 days. It seemed as though everything 
 conspired to bring their journey to a 
 standstill. The rain fell incessantly ; the 
 track grew narrower and narrower, and 
 frequently the jungle plants had to be cut 
 away to make a passage for the bullock- 
 carts. The Englishmen were compelled to 
 work desperately hard the whole of the 
 time, the cartmen and coolies having 
 become so dispirited that they were 
 scarcely of any use. Nothing, however, 
 was seen or heard of the dacoits. 
 119 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Cameron and Murray were certainly rather 
 glad of that, for they were far too tired 
 to be able to offer much of a resistance 
 if attacked. 
 
 On the third day the weather improved 
 somewhat, and this seemed to put fresh heart 
 into the coolies, who cheerfully resumed their 
 share of the work. Cameron and Murray, 
 thankful to be able to rest their aching- 
 shoulders, were walking along in the rear 
 of the party. One or two of the cartmen 
 had declared their conviction that dacoits 
 were lurking about, waiting for a favourable 
 opportunity to attack the expedition ; and 
 Cameron was calculating their slender chances 
 of victory, should their terrible foes confront 
 them, when Murray excitedly broke in upon 
 his reverie. 
 
 " I say, Cameron! " he exclaimed, " didn't 
 you tell that Mohammedan, or rather Po 
 Thaw, that we were going to the Sunrise 
 Pagoda? " 
 
 11 1 did," Cameron replied. 
 1 20 
 
Another Fight with Dacoits 
 
 11 Well, he'll guess that we have some par- 
 ticularly strong reason for going there, and 
 will probably search about and discover the 
 treasure before we are able to get it." 
 
 " I don't think so. He has heard of 
 geologists and other scientific men travelling 
 about the country, and will, no doubt, come 
 to the conclusion that we are such." 
 
 Whether Po Thaw arrived at that conclu- 
 sion or not, the fact remains that the travellers 
 continued their way through the jungle un- 
 molested, and arrived without further adven- 
 ture at the second fort, where they received 
 a hearty welcome from the officers in charge. 
 
 "It is good to see some English faces 
 " again," Lieutenant Brown declared to Gordon, 
 his brother officer, as they all sat down to 
 rest and talk. 
 
 "Yes," Gordon agreed ; "but what in the 
 world brings them here ? " And he turned 
 inquiringly to the travellers as he spoke. 
 
 Cameron laughed. " Explain the object 
 of our journey," he said, turning to Murray, 
 
 121 8 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 who once more obligingly related the story 
 of the phoongyees treasure, and also all that 
 had happened to them since they quitted 
 Mandalay. 
 
 " I wish we were going with you ! " Gordon 
 declared excitedly, when Murray had finished 
 his tale. " It would be twenty times more 
 interesting than staying here. We've hunted 
 everywhere for this Po Thaw, but have never 
 even caught sight of him. If we might 
 have the satisfaction of an occasional fight 
 with his men, I shouldn't mind being 
 where we are ; but to be hidden away 
 here, with positively nothing to do, is too 
 bad." 
 
 " It will all come in good time," Brown 
 replied, "and perhaps when it does come we 
 shall have more of it than we care about. 
 In the meanwhile, we must make the best of 
 our lot. If we had had less leisure, Gordon, 
 you would not have become so proficient 
 with the banjo. Bring out the instrument 
 and give us a song." 
 
 122 
 
Another Fight with Dacoits 
 
 " Shall I ? " Gordon said, looking towards 
 Cameron and Murray. 
 
 " Do, by all means. We should like it im- 
 mensely," Murray declared, speaking for both. 
 
 So Gordon took out his banjo, and, sitting 
 down on a bamboo stool, gave a very fair 
 rendering of a humorous song, to the un- 
 bounded delight of his hearers. Johnson 
 and Tha Bu, seated on the steps of the hut, 
 applauded loudly, and demanded an encore. 
 Gordon acceded readily to their request ; and, 
 indeed, for over an hour he amused them 
 with his singing and strumming. 
 
 "There's just time for one more," Brown 
 said, looking at his watch, " so give us the 
 favourite." 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation the young 
 officer commenced " The Old Folks at 
 Home," a song which never fails to touch 
 the hearts and dim the eyes of English exiles. 
 He sang it very well, too, and when he 
 finished there was perfect silence. Not one 
 of his countrymen could trust himself to 
 
 12"} 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 speak. His own eyes were filled with tears. 
 He put away his banjo, and hurried from the 
 hut to inspect his men. 
 
 " He's a wonderfully smart soldier," Brown 
 said to Cameron and Murray, when Gordon 
 had left them, "but terribly homesick. He 
 is one of a large family, and had a very happy 
 time at home. He's engaged, too. That's 
 his girl's photograph on the shelf. Pretty 
 girl, isn't she ? But he hasn't heard from 
 her for months, although no doubt there is 
 a whole pile of letters waiting for him at 
 Rangoon or Mandalay. I know he has 
 written a score or so to her, but hasn't had 
 an opportunity to send them off." 
 
 At that moment Gordon ran up the steps 
 and said gaily, " Au revoir, you fellows. I 
 haven't enjoyed myself so much for a long 
 time as I did this afternoon. We'll have a 
 really jolly evening when I return." 
 
 A minute or two later he rode away at the 
 head of his mounted infantry, on his daily 
 scouting expedition. 
 
 124 
 
Another Fight zvith Dacoits 
 
 About an hour later one of the men galloped 
 up to the fort, his pony covered with foam. 
 Springing from his saddle, he hurried to the 
 officers' quarters. 
 
 Directly Brown caught sight of the man, 
 he could see by his face that some misfortune 
 had befallen the scouting party. " What is 
 it ? " he asked anxiously. 
 
 11 Sahib, I have bad news," the man replied 
 sorrowfully. " The dacoits attacked us, and 
 Gordon Sahib is dead. He was shot through 
 the heart while trying to seize Po Thaw." 
 
 " Where is his body ? " 
 
 " Alas ! sahib, the dacoits have captured 
 it." 
 
 " Captured it ! And you alive to say so ! " 
 Brown thundered. 
 
 " Sahib," replied the man, with dignity, " I 
 was commanded to ride back to you with all 
 speed for reinforcements, but I would gladly 
 have died in attempting to regain Gordon 
 Sahib's body. I know that five of our men 
 were killed before I left them ; many more 
 125 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 will be dead, I fear, before we can possibly 
 reach them." 
 
 Brown immediately ordered twenty men to 
 parade at once. Then, turning to the English- 
 men, he asked, " Did you understand what 
 the man said ? " 
 
 "I did," Cameron replied, "and I have 
 told the sad news to my friend. Of course 
 you will allow us to accompany you ? " 
 
 "Certainly. It is very good of you to 
 offer so readily. Poor Gordon ! " 
 
 In a few minutes the reinforcement started 
 from the fort, and for nearly half a mile pro- 
 ceeded at a steady double along a jungle 
 path. Johnson and Tha Bu were both 
 present, and anxious for the fray. 
 
 Soon they met four of Gordon's men 
 retreating. 
 
 "Sahib," one exclaimed, pulling up his 
 pony and saluting Brown, " we have tried 
 hard to recover Gordon Sahib's body, but 
 we are all that remain alive, and the dacoits 
 are many." 
 
 126 
 
Anothei' Fight with Dacoits 
 
 "Are they pursuing you?" Brown asked 
 eagerly. 
 
 11 Yes, sahib." 
 
 The soldiers were now at a comparatively 
 open spot, and here Brown decided to meet 
 the enemy. He extended his men in a long 
 line, and made them lie down. 
 
 11 Don't fire until I give the word," he 
 told them ; but they had not to wait long for 
 it. The dacoits, flushed with victory, dashed 
 wildly towards them. Brown allowed them 
 to advance within fifty yards, and then his 
 voice rang out: "Ready! Present! Fire!" 
 The dacoits were taken completely by sur- 
 prise, and hesitated, as if about to retire ; 
 but, urged on by Po Thaw himself, they 
 rushed forward again, threatening the kalas 
 with all sorts of horrors. 
 
 Some deadly independent firing followed. 
 Soon came the order to fix bayonets. Brown 
 glanced at his men. All were ready. 
 "Charge!" he shouted, and dashed forward 
 in advance. The dacoits fired one volley and 
 127 
 
The Dae oil's Treasure 
 
 then ran wildly back towards the thick 
 jungle — but not before several of them were 
 disabled by the brave Bengalees. Johnson 
 dashed after the retreating dacoits, keeping 
 his eye the whole of the time on Po Thaw, 
 who tried in vain to induce his men to stand 
 and fight. The bo was at the other end of 
 the line, and by the time that Johnson, 
 bleeding from a dah-vjo\m& on the shoulder, 
 had reached him, he found Tha Bu engaged 
 in a hand-to-hand fight with the notorious 
 chief. But the plucky little guide, though 
 brave as a lion, was no match for the 
 infamous bo, who disarmed him just as 
 Johnson was wondering whether it would 
 be honourable to kill Po Thaw while he 
 was fighting some one else. 
 
 Directly Johnson saw that his Burmese 
 friend was wounded, he rushed at the bo, 
 who was about to strike off Tha Bu's head. 
 Fortunately for the guide, Po Thaw turned 
 away to meet his fresh adversary. Johnson 
 lunged at him with his bayonet, but the bo 
 128 
 
Another Fight with Dacoits 
 
 turned it aside with his dah. Then, uttering 
 a mocking laugh, he disappeared quickly 
 into the jungle. Johnson followed, but could 
 find no trace of him. He met, however, two 
 dacoits carrying a dooly. At sight of the 
 Englishman they dropped their burden and 
 promptly bolted. 
 
 Curious to know what Was in the dooly, 
 Johnson raised a corner of the cloth placed 
 over its contents. To his surprise and relief 
 he saw the body of the young officer whose 
 banjo-playing he had so enjoyed a few hours 
 previously. 
 
 "I've found him!" he called out at tne 
 top of his voice, and in a few moments 
 Brown, Cameron, and Murray joined 
 him. 
 
 " Let me have a look at the poor boy," 
 said Brown. He pulled aside the covering, 
 and a cry of horror escaped him, for the body 
 was headless. A moment later he reverently 
 replaced the cloth. 
 
 For a minute or so he stood with stern 
 129 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 face, grasping his sword and gazing fiercely 
 into the jungle. Then he formed up his 
 men, and marched them back to the 
 fort. 
 
 They buried their comrade just as dark- 
 ness was coming on. It was a solemn scene. 
 The Englishmen, standing at the hastily 
 made grave, and the native soldiers looking 
 sadly on from afar, vowed to avenge the 
 young officer's death. 
 
 Tha Bu's wound was not thought to be a 
 dangerous one, but severe enough to make 
 it impossible for him to think of any exertion 
 for several days. He sent his wife to fetch 
 Johnson, whose wound had been skilfully 
 attended to. When he arrived Tha Bu 
 said, " You are indeed a good friend, Mr. 
 Johnson ; you saved my life." 
 
 " Well, perhaps you'll have a chance of 
 saving mine, some day," Johnson answered 
 airily. " How's the wound ? Does it pain ? " 
 
 " Very little. My wife has attended to it 
 carefully. She is a beautiful wife. The 
 130 
 
Another Fight with Dacoits 
 
 beauty of a cuckoo is its voice ; the beauty 
 of the unattractive in face and figure is 
 wisdom ; that of a woman her devotion for 
 her husband." 
 
 " Look here, Tha Bu, if you want to get 
 well quickly you mustn't talk so much. 
 Forget you're a wise man until you're quite 
 well again. It's much better to be a fool in 
 good health than a wise man in bad." 
 
 " Perhaps I deserve your admonition. A 
 man who admonishes when admonition is 
 required, and by his admonition prevents the 
 commission of a crime or foolish act, is loved 
 by the good ; but " 
 
 Johnson snatched up his helmet and bolted 
 from the hut. A little later, however, his 
 conscience began to accuse him. He was 
 exceedingly fond of the conceited little Bur- 
 man, and it seemed to him that he had done 
 a shabby thing in hurrying from his sick-bed. 
 He returned to the hut ; but Tha Bu was 
 delirious ! Full of remorse, he ran to the 
 officers' quarters to tell Cameron and Murray 
 
 *3I 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the sad news. They visited the guide at 
 once, and saw that everything possible was 
 done for him. 
 
 " He's terribly bad," Cameron declared, 
 when Brown, a few minutes later, inquired 
 after the wounded man, "and if he dies we 
 shall be compelled to give up all thoughts of 
 finding the treasure until PoThaw is captured. 
 It would be madness at present for us to 
 attempt to reach the Sunrise Pagoda without 
 a guide. Brown," he went on anxiously, 
 " you know better than we do the Burmese 
 constitution, and the effect of wounds upon 
 it. What do you think ? Is Tha Bu going 
 to die ? " 
 
 132 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 A SPY 
 
 THE following morning, at a very early 
 hour, the four Englishmen hurried 
 to the hut occupied by Tha Bu, and, to 
 their intense relief, found that their guide 
 had regained consciousness. 
 
 " Well, Tha Bu ! " Cameron asked, " is the 
 wound still very painful ? " 
 
 " Not quite so painful as it was yesterday," 
 the guide replied feebly. "It will gradually 
 heal sir," he continued with conviction, after 
 a pause, "for everything is done little by 
 little. Learning comes gradually, mountain- 
 climbing is a work of patience ; wealth is 
 accumulated slowly, and love comes and 
 grows by degrees." 
 
 133 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 Unfortunately Tha Bu did not prove to be 
 a true prophet, for soon after the Englishmen 
 left him he grew rapidly worse, and in a short 
 time he was again unconscious. 
 
 The Englishmen were much concerned 
 when they heard of this relapse. They were 
 discussing it in the officers' quarters, when 
 a havildar walked up the steps, stood in the 
 doorway, and saluted. 
 
 " Sahib," he said in a broken voice, 
 addressing his officer, "will you look towards 
 the jungle ? " 
 
 There was something so very mysterious 
 about the man's manner that Brown jumped 
 up from his chair and ran to a point which 
 commanded a view of the surrounding jungle. 
 A horrible sight met his eyes. Stuck on a 
 pole, about fifty yards from the fort, was the 
 head of his late brother officer. 
 
 Turning quickly to the havildar, who had 
 followed him, he said sternly, pointing to the 
 lifeless head, "It must be brought in at 
 once." 
 
 *34 
 
A Spy 
 
 " Sahib, it shall be done immediately." 
 
 Two minutes later a dozen native soldiers 
 were advancing cautiously towards the grim 
 object of their errand, every moment ex- 
 pecting the dacoits to open a murderous fire 
 upon them. But to their great surprise not 
 a shot was fired, and their sad duty was per- 
 formed without any casualty. 
 
 When the havildar came to report that he 
 had carried out his officer's order, he handed 
 in a paper with Burmese writing on it. He 
 had found it, he said, hanging from one of 
 the lieutenant sahib's teeth. 
 
 " A message from the fiendish bo, I 
 suppose," Brown remarked to Murray and 
 Cameron, as he unfolded the paper. "He 
 evidently would not let his scoundrels fire 
 on my men, for fear it might not reach me. 
 I wish you would kindly translate the writing 
 for me, Cameron. You are a better Burmese 
 scholar than I." 
 
 Cameron took the note and read out at 
 once — 
 
 '35 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 '"To the white kala chief, from Po Thaw 
 the famous and invincible warrior. 
 
 " ' White fool, you are in my power, and 
 I will show you no mercy. I will never rest 
 until I have killed every white kala in the 
 land. You white dogs shall be taught before 
 long that you cannot conquer the descendants 
 of celestial beings. Your bodies ' " 
 
 Cameron stopped short and read the 
 remainder to himself. Then he tore the 
 paper into pieces and threw them over the 
 stockade. 
 
 "What more did the scoundrel say?" 
 Brown asked quietly. 
 
 "The latter part of the note," Cameron 
 replied, " contained a disgusting description 
 of how he intends to mutilate our dead 
 bodies." 
 
 "If ever we have the misfortune to fall 
 into his power, he will, no doubt, carry out 
 his threats to the letter," Brown remarked, as 
 they walked away to reverently bury poor 
 Gordon's remains. 
 
 136 
 
A Spy 
 
 A few hours later Brown, who had been 
 surveying the jungle through his field-glass, 
 called to Cameron and Murray, who were 
 revelling in a pot of refreshing tea. 
 
 "Just come and look at this strange object 
 approaching the fort," he said, "for I haven't 
 the faintest idea what he is." 
 
 Cameron and Murray jumped up to look at 
 the stranger. 
 
 "It's the wizard ! " they exclaimed together, 
 for they recognised at once the odd attire 
 of the man whose timely appearance had, 
 a few days before, relieved them of the 
 importunities of the husband-seeking young- 
 ladies. 
 
 " Do you know the old guy ? " Brown asked 
 in surprise. 
 
 " Tha Bu knows him intimately," Murray 
 declared with a smile, and then related the 
 circumstances under which they had seen the 
 wizard. 
 
 " Perhaps he has relented and is the bearer 
 of a message from the damsels," Brown sug- 
 T 37 9 
 
The Dacotfs Treasure 
 
 gested, as they walked down to the gate to 
 hear what he wanted. 
 
 Directly the wizard saw Cameron and 
 Murray, he exclaimed, " Alas ! my lords, I 
 have bad news from the village where you 
 rested a few days ago. Admit me and I 
 will relate everything to you." 
 
 Brown gave instructions for the man to be 
 admitted. "Give me food and drink," he 
 begged, directly he was in the fort, "for I 
 have travelled far, and am faint." 
 
 Having consumed some rice and plantains, 
 he settled himself and began his tale. " Now, 
 my lords," he said, "hearken unto my words. 
 On the day after the white lords left the 
 village where I have dwelt for many years, 
 that son of a dog, Po Thaw, came with many 
 hundreds of men to punish us for entertaining 
 you. The headman he crucified. He kindled 
 a large fire and threw men alive into it. 
 Molten lead he poured into the ears of the 
 women, and the children he threw to the 
 captive cobra. Blood flowed through the 
 
 •38 
 
A Spy 
 
 village like water in the south-west monsoon, 
 and of all who looked towards the pagoda 
 that morning I alone am alive. Me, the dog 
 Po Thaw dared not kill. He feared my 
 magic. Had he raised his hand against me, 
 I would have struck him dead." 
 
 " Why didn't you strike him dead as it 
 was?" Cameron asked. "It would be no 
 crime to kill that fiend in cold blood." 
 
 " My lord, my magical powers may only be 
 used in defence, and not in offence. But hear 
 my words, my lords. When the dacoits had 
 burnt the village to the ground and departed, 
 my heart was sad, and I said to myself, ' I 
 will hurry on to the English fort and tell the 
 valiant soldiers of the Great White Queen all 
 that Po Thaw has done, so that they may 
 punish him.' I passed quickly through the 
 jungle, and from a distance saw the dacoits 
 rejoicing at their bloody work." 
 
 "How many men had the bo with him?" 
 Brown asked eagerly. 
 
 11 I do not know, my lord. It is impossible 
 *39 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 to tell. I saw about eight hundred, but he 
 may have had many more." 
 
 " Eight hundred ! Then his followers have 
 increased ? " 
 
 " They have, my lord, for he has had it 
 proclaimed in every village that he is going 
 to drive the English from the country, and 
 he has promised to give to every one of his 
 followers an Englishwoman for an inferior 
 wife." 
 
 " In what direction were the dacoits 
 moving ? " 
 
 •' They were travelling, my lord, towards 
 this fort, which Po Thaw has made up his 
 mind to destroy ; but I well know that it is 
 foolishness for Po Thaw to attempt to defeat 
 the soldiers of the Great White Queen. 
 Have you many men in this fort, my 
 lord?" 
 
 "When the murdering, thieving bo attacks 
 it, he will find I have more than enough to 
 defeat him. Your face appears very familiar 
 to me. Where have I seen you ? " 
 140 
 
A Spy 
 
 " I am a famous wizard, my lord ; perhaps 
 you have been to me for advice." 
 
 " Oh, no, I haven't," Brown laughingly 
 answered. 
 
 " Perhaps you have seen me walking 
 through a village and have been told that 
 I was the great and venerated wizard." 
 
 " Very likely. But what do you intend to 
 do now ? In what village are you going to 
 live?" 
 
 " I should like to remain in this fort, my lord, 
 if I may, and help you to fight the dacoits. 
 The jungle will soon grow over the ashes of 
 the village where I have lived for many years, 
 and my countrymen will forget that it ever 
 existed ; but until I have avenged the murder 
 of its inhabitants, until the cruel bo is killed or 
 taken prisoner, I will not settle down in any 
 village. May I stay here, my lord ? " 
 
 The wizard was allowed to remain. That 
 
 night, as Brown lay awake, thinking of the 
 
 news which the wizard had given him, he 
 
 suddenly regretted that he had permitted the 
 
 141 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 man to stay in the fort. He had a presenti- 
 ment that the fellow would be the cause of 
 some misfortune. So impressed was he with 
 the idea that he hurriedly dressed himself and 
 went out to give instructions that the wizard 
 should be well watched. But the man with 
 the tiger-skin was nowhere to be seen. He 
 had mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind 
 him nothing but his bamboo stick. 
 
 "Treachery is inborn in Asiatics," Brown 
 declared to Cameron and Murray, when he 
 informed them next morning of the wizard's 
 desertion, "but a wizard develops that un- 
 desirable trait to a wonderful degree. The 
 scamp who has just escaped had perhaps no 
 intention of deceiving us when he first 
 arrived, but, finding that we were not so 
 numerically strong as he expected, he seized 
 the first opportunity to desert." 
 
 "How did he manage to escape ? " Murray 
 asked. 
 
 "He must have clambered over the 
 stockade, for he has left behind him his 
 142 
 
A Spy 
 
 long bamboo stick, the only thing which 
 could impede his flight." 
 
 " I suppose he'll make it his business to 
 give Po Thaw full particulars of our strength?" 
 
 "Oh, yes, he is sure to do that. I only 
 hope that the bo will kill him for his pains. 
 He is quite likely to do so, to save the 
 expense of paying for the information. At 
 any rate, I don't suppose we shall ever see 
 the wizard ao-ain." 
 
 But they did see him again, and that very 
 speedily. 
 
 About eight o'clock in the morning a 
 Burman, holding aloft a white cloth tied to a 
 bamboo, issued from the jungle and walked 
 calmly across the clearing towards the fort. 
 The man was Po Thaw. He was unarmed, 
 and evidently perfectly confident that the flag 
 of truce would be respected. Halting some 
 twenty yards from the fort, he called out in 
 Hindustanee — 
 
 " Po Thaw has words to say to the white 
 foreign chief." 
 
 J 43 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 " The white foreign chief, the servant of 
 the Great White Queen, will listen unto your 
 words," Brown replied. 
 
 "It is good," Po Thaw declared. "My 
 warriors are many and brave, and their 
 prowess is known to all throughout the land. 
 You Englishmen say that you have taken 
 this land from the phoongyee king, 1 and call 
 yourselves its rulers. But we laugh at you, 
 for we are the rulers. We traverse the 
 jungle, fighting our enemies, protecting our 
 friends, and enriching ourselves, but you are 
 forced to live in little forts which you think 
 we cannot capture. Hearken attentively 
 now to my words. I have determined to 
 take this fort, but, from motives of piety and 
 regard to life, have come to offer to spare 
 your lives if you will give up your fort at 
 once." 
 
 " The warriors of the Great White Queen, 
 
 1 Theebaw was in a monastery previous to his ascending 
 the throne. There is also another explanation of his 
 being called the phoongyee king, which is far from 
 creditable to his mother. 
 
 144 
 
A Spy 
 
 be they white or black, never surrender," 
 Brown replied haughtily. 
 
 " But how can few fight against many ? 
 I know the number of your warriors, and for 
 every one that you have I have a hundred. 
 The wizard has told me all that I wish to 
 know about your fort." 
 
 " The wizard is no better than a pariah 
 dog, who sneaks about the village stealing 
 the crows' food ; but still, he is a braver 
 man than you, Po Thaw. You call yourself 
 a warrior chief, and all you are brave enough 
 to do is to kill old women and cut off the 
 heads of dead men whom you feared to 
 touch when alive." 
 
 "White chief, last night I could have 
 killed you as you lay asleep. I was the 
 wizard you admitted to your fort. I was 
 dressed up in the clothes of the old thief 
 whom I slew a few days ago. If you wish 
 it, I will call for the tiger-skin and beard, and 
 show you how I made myself resemble the 
 great wizard." 
 
 145 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 The Englishmen and the native soldiers 
 were all astounded when they heard that 
 their visitor of the previous day was none 
 other than the notorious bo, and many were 
 the regrets that they had not seen through 
 his disguise. 
 
 " Do you think what he says is true ? " 
 Cameron asked. 
 
 " I am certain of it," Brown replied, " for 
 when I saw the fellow I thought his face 
 appeared familiar to me. What a fool I was 
 not to remember where I had seen it 
 before ! " 
 
 " Does the English chief believe the 
 words I have spoken ? " Po Thaw called out. 
 
 " I do," Brown replied. 
 
 " Then do not call me a coward, for I 
 spared your life that we might meet face, to 
 face in battle." 
 
 " That I do not believe ; for the man who 
 would poison the plantains which his ene- 
 mies were to eat would not spare a sleep- 
 ing foe." 
 
 146 
 
A Spy 
 
 The bo gave a start of surprise when he 
 heard the poisoned plantains mentioned ; 
 he had evidently never dreamed that his 
 Mohammedan disguise had been pene- 
 trated. 
 
 " This is not the time to bandy words," 
 he declared angrily. " I have come here to 
 offer to spare your lives. Refuse to give up 
 the fort, and every one of you, white and 
 black, shall be killed." 
 
 " Po Thaw, we scorn both your mercy 
 and your threats," Brown replied, calmly and 
 distinctly. " Do your worst, for we fear it 
 not. 
 
 "The white chief speaks boldly, as if his 
 soldiers were white men instead of Indian 
 dogs, whose hearts are like water with fear." 
 
 The brave Indian warriors heard this 
 attack upon their courage with the greatest 
 indignation. 
 
 " Sahib," begged a smart havildar, "let me 
 speak for just one minute with this low-born 
 wretch." 
 
 i47 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Brown gave his consent at once, and the 
 gallant turbanned soldier, who had fought 
 bravely for his Empress in Afghanistan, 
 called out to the bo — 
 
 " Son of a dog ! the words the English 
 sahibs have hearkened unto, you would have 
 feared to speak but for the flag of peace 
 which you hold in your bloodstained hands. 
 You are like the little child who, safe on its 
 mother's hip, shakes its tiny fist at the big 
 elephants in the timber yard. You say that 
 the hearts of the Indian soldiers of the Great 
 and Good White Queen are like water with 
 fear, but you know well enough that the 
 words you speak are not true. Our fathers 
 fought your fathers, and defeated them ; and 
 as they did, so will we do. Po Thaw, it is you 
 who are the coward — you who are not feared 
 by warriors, but by aged men and women and 
 children. In years to come you will be 
 remembered only as a coward, who killed 
 the weak and defenceless, but fled to the 
 jungle in terror when brave soldiers came 
 
 148 
 
A Spy 
 
 near him. No wandering poet shall sing 
 your praises, but your countrymen will hang 
 their heads with shame when they hear your 
 name mentioned." 
 
 "Silence," roared the bo, half mad with 
 rage. " I came not here to talk to Indian 
 slaves, but to their master. White chief, 
 will you give up your fort ? " 
 
 " No ! I will not," Brown replied loudly. 
 "You may go back to your men and tell 
 them that the white chief and his brave 
 Indian soldiers laugh at your threats. Be- 
 gone, I say ! " 
 
 Po Thaw turned quickly on his heel and 
 walked away a few yards. Then he stopped 
 short and again turned to the fort. His face 
 was distorted with passion. 
 
 " When you are in terrible agony," he 
 shouted, " when my men pour molten lead 
 into your ears and eyes, and your nose 
 and hands have been thrown to the pariah 
 dogs, you will regret that you did not 
 surrender your fort when I commanded 
 149 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 you to do so. White fool ! prepare to 
 die, for my followers are many, and not 
 one of you in that fort, white or black, 
 shall escape me ! " 
 
 150 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE FORT SURROUNDED 
 
 PO THAW did not remain inactive for 
 long. A quarter of an hour after his 
 return to his followers, the siege commenced. 
 Brown had hoped that the dacoits would at 
 once attempt to carry the fort by assault, 
 but he was disappointed. They did not 
 even show themselves, but, from the shelter 
 of the jungle, poured in a continual stream 
 of bullets. The fire was not returned, for 
 Brown had given instructions that no man 
 was to shoot unless he could see one of the 
 enemy. When it grew dark, the firing 
 ceased. Shortly after midnight, however, a 
 sharp-eyed sentry discovered the dacoits 
 emerging from the jungle. 
 151 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 The night was very black, and it was 
 some moments before the Englishmen could 
 distinguish the almost naked forms of the 
 dacoits as they crept slowly and silently 
 towards the fort. With scarcely a sound the 
 defenders took up their positions to await 
 the command to fire. Nearer and nearer 
 the enemy came, evidently confident that 
 they were unobserved. 
 
 " Fire ! " shouted Brown, and a deadly 
 volley was poured into the advancing force. 
 In a moment all was uproar. Finding they 
 were discovered, the dacoits broke out into a 
 loud war-whoop and dashed towards the 
 fort, planting their bamboo ladders against 
 the stockade, and clambering quickly up 
 them. But as fast as they ascended they 
 were shot down by the Bengalees, every 
 man of whom was determined to avenge the 
 insult which Po Thaw had uttered that day. 
 Tarred ropes were ignited by Brown's 
 command, and fixed in such position as to 
 throw a good light upon the attackers. The 
 152 
 
A DESPERATE AFFRAY 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 English civilians loaded and fired as rapidly 
 and efficiently as old soldiers, but to their 
 great disappointment, Po Thaw was evidently 
 not among the attackers. The leader had a 
 scar on his face, in the same position as the 
 notorious bo ; but they knew Po Thaw 
 too well by sight now to be misled by that 
 disfigurement. 
 
 On every side of the fort the assailants 
 fought bravely, but their valour was of no 
 avail ; for the defenders, calm and stern, 
 never wasted a shot, and did terrible execu- 
 tion. In less than ten minutes from the 
 firing of the first shot, the dacoits fled pell- 
 mell into the jungle. Their loss was 
 enormous ; but of the defenders, two only 
 were killed and three wounded. Johnson 
 was delighted with the result, and showed 
 his delight by smacking some of the Indian 
 soldiers heartily on their backs, a proceeding 
 which considerably surprised the turbanned 
 warriors. 
 
 Po Thaw remained quiet for some time 
 J 55 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 after this repulse. Three days passed with- 
 out a single dacoit being seen by those in 
 the fort, though their presence was made 
 known by the bullets which they poured at 
 intervals from their jungle shelter upon the 
 stronghold. 
 
 On the third night, a daring fellow crawled 
 up to the stockade and set light to it. 
 He was shot, and the fire promptly ex- 
 tinguished. Nevertheless, his fate did not 
 deter others from attempting the same 
 thing. On the fourth day after the attack 
 a private volunteered to carry a message to 
 the next fort. Brown pointed out to the 
 man the dangerous nature of the under- 
 taking, but finding that only increased the 
 brave fellow's eagerness, he accepted his 
 services and gave him a cypher note for the 
 officer in charge. 
 
 Attired as a Burman, the soldier crept out 
 
 of the fort under cover of darkness, and all 
 
 his comrades hoped that he had got clear 
 
 away. But at daybreak, to their dismay 
 
 156 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 and sorrow, they saw his dead, mutilated 
 body lying" about twenty yards from the fort. 
 It was recovered, amidst a galling fire from 
 the dacoits. Tha Bu, hearing the firing, 
 came hurrying from his hut, apparently in 
 perfect health. 
 
 " Hallo ! how are you, my friend ? " John- 
 son exclaimed as he grasped the guide's 
 hand, genuinely pleased to see him about 
 again. 
 
 " As happy as a bird that has just 
 escaped from its cage," Tha Bu replied 
 gaily. 
 
 " Well, you ought to be very thankful to 
 your wife. She's an excellent nurse." 
 
 " I do not wish to detract from my wife's 
 merits," said Tha Bu pompously, " but the 
 state of my body makes me an excellent 
 patient. I have never led a vicious life, and 
 a healthy body is better than twenty doctors 
 and a hundred nurses." 
 
 " Wait till you break your leg ; you won't 
 say so then." 
 
 J 57 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Tha Bu hurried back to his hut, ostensibly 
 to fetch something he had forgotten. 
 
 The garrison rejoiced greatly at having 
 the assistance of another steady shot, but 
 their joy was short-lived, for on the day 
 succeeding Tha Bus return to duty Cameron 
 sickened with malarial fever. Everything 
 that could be done for him was done, but 
 with no very satisfactory results. On the 
 fourth day of his illness he appeared a trifle 
 better, but in the evening he was delirious. 
 In his delirium he revealed what, for some 
 unaccountable reason, he had never confided 
 to anybody ; and Murray, who nursed him 
 devotedly, discovered to his amazement that 
 his friend was in love! "Of all thing's!" 
 he gasped, as he listened to Cameron's inco- 
 herent ramblings. " I always thought he 
 was wedded to his work ! I shall never 
 feel astonished at anything after this ! " 
 And while Cameron raved about a certain 
 Edith Clarence, a young lady who had 
 recently come out to Burma to keep house 
 158 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 for her father, Murray determined that, at 
 the first opportunity, he would have it 
 out with Cameron for keeping such an 
 interesting matter so entirely to himself. 
 
 On the fifth day Mah Shway O persuaded 
 Murray to let her administer a Burmese 
 draught to the patient. It was wonderfully 
 efficacious, for Cameron soon fell asleep, and 
 slept soundly until about ten o'clock the 
 following morning. When at last he opened 
 his eyes, Murray saw at once, and with a 
 feeling of indescribable relief, that the fever 
 had left him. 
 
 " How do you feel? " he asked solicitously, 
 bending over the bed. 
 
 " Rather weak, but otherwise pretty well," 
 Cameron responded faintly. 
 
 " Chicken broth and rice-pudding will 
 soon set you up, then. Tha Bu has been 
 convalescing on such dainties, and he is as 
 strong as ever." 
 
 "I'm very glad of that. Have the dacoits 
 been driven off yet ? " 
 
 *59 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Not yet. But you mustn't talk. Try 
 and get another nap." 
 
 Murray was afraid that a plain statement 
 of fact might excite his friend, for affairs 
 were growing more serious every day. Still 
 hidden from sight, the dacoits kept up a 
 worrying fire upon the fort, day and night. 
 Frequently the besieged men could hear 
 the enemy greeting with shouts of delight 
 recruits who were joining them. Even 
 Brown began to feel anxious about the 
 result of the siege ; but neither the Euro- 
 peans nor the Asiatics guessed it, for he 
 was always in high spirits, and declared 
 that the dacoits would soon grow tired of 
 remaining in ambush, and would attack the 
 fort. 
 
 And as a matter of fact he did not fear 
 the dacoits at all. The enemy he feared 
 was fever. Already three men had died of 
 it, and others had sickened. It was indeed 
 an anxious time for the young officer, and 
 occasionally he felt sorely tempted to end 
 1 60 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 the weary siege by leading a sortie to dis- 
 lodge the enemy. But his better judgment 
 prevented him from taking a step which, 
 under the circumstances, would have been 
 disastrous to his force. So another weary 
 fortnight passed away. Cameron recovered 
 and was able to again take his part in the 
 defence ; but eight privates died, and several 
 others were dangerously ill. Throughout 
 this terribly trying time the brave sons of 
 India never uttered a word of complaint, 
 but delighted in paying many kindly little 
 attentions to the English sahibs. 
 
 And so the anxious days dragged on. 
 The heat was intense, sickness increased, 
 and at times the bravest hearts began to 
 despair. 
 
 But better days were in store. One 
 morning the dacoits were suspiciously silent. 
 Twice during the previous night their war- 
 howl had rent the air, but the expected 
 attack had not taken place. 
 
 " I wonder what villainy they are planning 
 161 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 now," Murray said, as the three Englishmen 
 sat in the shade, smoking some of their 
 few remaining cheroots. " I feel convinced 
 some special mischief must be brewing. 
 They haven't fired a shot for nearly eight 
 hours." 
 
 " Probably they are making their final 
 preparations to assault the place," said 
 Brown. " I think we have pretty well tried 
 their patience, and no doubt some of them 
 begin to think that their time might have 
 been more profitably employed in plundering 
 undefended villages." 
 
 Scarcely were the words out of Brown's 
 mouth when sharp firing was heard. 
 
 " That's strange ! " Brown exclaimed, 
 jumping up from his chair. " None of the 
 bullets hit the fort ! " 
 
 He surveyed the jungle through his field- 
 glass, but not a man, or a sign of firing, 
 could be seen. Nevertheless, the sounds 
 that he heard proved unmistakably that 
 a fierce fight was going on somewhere in 
 162 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 the immediate neighbourhood. For two or 
 three minutes the besieged believed that the 
 dacoits had quarrelled among themselves, 
 but that impression was speedily dispelled 
 in a very agreeable way — by their hearing 
 a hearty British cheer, which rang above 
 the fusillade. 
 
 " Reinforcements ! " Brown exclaimed ex- 
 citedly ; and the four Englishmen, beaming 
 with delight, sent up a vigorous cheer. Tha 
 Bu, in his intense excitement, forgot that he 
 was civilised, and indulged in an energetic 
 but particularly ungraceful dance of triumph. 
 He brought it to an abrupt conclusion, 
 however, when he noticed Johnson watching 
 him with unconcealed amusement. 
 
 A minute or two later over a hundred 
 dacoits rushed from the jungle, closely fol- 
 lowed by a score or two of English soldiers, 
 who were dealing death right and left. In 
 their haste to escape, many of the dacoits 
 dashed madly across the clearing in front of 
 the fort, and were promptly dealt with by 
 163 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the garrison. At last the tired soldiers 
 entered the fort. The rank and file shook 
 hands with Johnson, and greeted Tha Bu 
 with genial exclamations of " Hallo ! school- 
 master." Tha Bu greatly appreciated this 
 recognition of his learning, and beamed ex- 
 tensively upon them. 
 
 " There'll be some brown widdies in the 
 country to-day," Johnson remarked when 
 the men had made themselves comfortable. 
 " You fellows did a considerable deal of 
 damage ! " 
 
 " Yes," one of them replied : "we meant 
 to ! It was like this 'ere. When we got 
 to a village the other day we found it was 
 burnt to the ground, except a few huts. 
 Well, we didn't growl at that, 'cause a 
 Burmese village ain't exactly a Windsor 
 Castle or a Margate ; but when we found 
 that the dirty, sneaking, thieving dacoits 
 had done it, and saw how they'd treated 
 the women and the little 'uns — well, I 
 shouldn't like to repeat all we said. I tell 
 164 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 you it would have made the chaplain swear 
 to see what we saw — men and women lying 
 about everywhere as dead as our old com- 
 missariat mule what the tiger chawed. If 
 they'd only been dead we shouldn't have 
 minded so much, but they was mutilated. 
 And that wasn't the worst. The poor little 
 kiddies, as had never done no one no harm, 
 'cept perhaps when they didn't know as they 
 was a-doing of it, was lying about with their 
 arms and legs cut off. Some of the dead 
 mothers — pretty wenches, too — had their 
 poor little butchered young 'uns clasped in 
 their arms, trying to protect 'em like. 
 'Tain't usual for the Hunderd-an'-Sixtieth 
 to blub, but I'm blowed if every blessed 
 one of us wasn't blubbin' like spanked 
 youngsters. Then we took our davy over 
 Parson Jack's pocket-Bible never to show 
 no dacoit no mercy ; and we didn't to-day, 
 did us, boys ? " 
 
 A vigorous shout of " No ! " was the 
 emphatic reply. 
 
 165 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 In the meantime, Mills was relating 
 their adventures to Brown, Cameron, and 
 Murray. 
 
 " But how did you hear we were in a fix ?" 
 Brown asked him, as soon as he had an 
 opportunity. 
 
 " I received a letter to that effect from an 
 anonymous friend," Mills replied. 
 
 "The woman who wrote to you once 
 before ? " Murray asked. 
 
 "Yes. The handwriting is the same. I'll 
 read the note : — 
 
 " ' To the officer in charge. 
 
 " ' The fort near the Moo River is besieged 
 by a strong body of dacoits under Po Thaw, 
 who intends to starve out the defenders. 
 Hurry to the relief of your fellow-officer, for 
 Po Thaw declares that in less than two 
 weeks the fort will be a heap of ruins. He 
 has planned a terrible death for the English 
 officer. Be in time to prevent the fiendish 
 act. Ask my messenger no questions, give 
 166 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 him no message, and let him return at 
 once.' " 
 
 " Haven't you the slightest idea who the 
 writer is ? " Brown asked, as he carefully 
 examined the letter. 
 
 " Not the slightest," Mills replied ; " but 
 as her first note was exceedingly useful to 
 me, I placed almost implicit confidence in 
 her second. Luckily we had been rein- 
 forced a few days before this note arrived, 
 so I left the other officer in charge and 
 hurried on here. I had no idea, though, that 
 the bo had such a large force with him. Had 
 I known it, I would have brought more men. 
 By the way, you might send out to dis- 
 cover in what direction the dacoits are 
 retiring." 
 
 " Certainly," Brown replied, and immedi- 
 ately gave the necessary instructions. 
 
 When the scouts returned they reported 
 that the dacoits were flying north, evidently 
 under the impression that Lieutenant Mills' 
 167 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 party was but a portion of a large force sent 
 against them. 
 
 Early the following morning the scouts 
 were again sent out, but this time without 
 seeing anything whatever of the dacoits. 
 
 "It seems to me that this is a good 
 opportunity for us to push on," Cameron 
 suggested to Murray, soon after the return 
 of the scouts. 
 
 "Well, I'm quite ready to start," Murray 
 replied. " Marching through the jungle suits 
 me a great deal better than being confined 
 to a fort." 
 
 " Let us consult Tha Bu, then." 
 
 They found the guide sitting in a shady 
 corner, studying an English pocket dictionary, 
 and committing to memory the longest words 
 he could find in it. 
 
 "Tha Bu, we have come to speak with 
 you about continuing our journey," Cameron 
 said to him. 
 
 The Burman closed his book, placed it in 
 the pocket of his white jacket, and replied, 
 1 68 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 " You have done well, sir, for one in search 
 of knowledge should immediately repair to a 
 man possessing it, so that advantage may be 
 taken of his wisdom." 
 
 " Have you yet discovered the exact posi- 
 tion of the Sunrise Pagoda ?" Cameron asked 
 sharply. 
 
 " I have, sir. I discovered it some days 
 before we entered this fort." 
 
 " Do you think it would be advisable to 
 start at once ? " 
 
 " The sooner we start, the sooner we shall 
 reach our destination. If we start speedily, 
 we shall be able to cross the Moo River 
 before dark." 
 
 "Then get everything ready, and we'll 
 start in half an hour." 
 
 Brown and Mills were rather sorry when 
 the travellers told them of their intention to 
 depart, for they had hoped to celebrate their 
 victory by an entertainment of some kind. 
 
 u I really think you fellows had better give 
 up all thoughts of reaching the Sunrise 
 169 
 
The Dae oil's Treasure 
 
 Pagoda," Mills said, "for you are bound to 
 be killed, or captured, which means the same 
 thing, before you can get there." 
 
 " We have been hitherto so fortunate in 
 escaping from the dacoits' snares," Murray 
 replied, " that we feel encouraged to prose- 
 cute our search with renewed vigour." 
 
 "Well, if you are determined to go on, I'll 
 accompany you as far as the Moo," Mills 
 said, a few minutes later. And when the 
 travellers started off, they were attended by 
 twenty soldiers, who were all wonderfully 
 polite to Mah Shway O. They sang comic 
 songs to her, and paid her outrageously 
 flattering compliments ; and she smiled and 
 didn't understand one word of what they 
 were saying. Then they amused her by 
 performing various simple tricks with coins 
 and pocket-handkerchiefs. She enjoyed that 
 immensely. 
 
 " I say, schoolmaster, your wife's a deuced 
 smart little woman," one soldier called out to 
 Tha Bu. 
 
 170 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 " A woman is what a husband makes her," 
 the Burman replied promptly: "without the 
 moon the night is not pleasant, nor the ocean 
 without waves ; a pond without ducks is not 
 pleasing to the eye, nor a maiden without a 
 husband." 
 
 " Bosh ! " Johnson exclaimed ; whereat the 
 soldiers laughed, and Tha Bu was much 
 annoyed. 
 
 " A swan is out of place among crows," he 
 declared, "a lion among bulls, a horse in the 
 midst of asses, and a wise man among fools." 
 Then he left them. 
 
 At about half-past four the travellers 
 arrived at a thinly-populated and poverty- 
 stricken village on the bank of the Moo. 
 Cameron had engaged the cartmen to ac- 
 company him as far as the Moo only, and 
 relied upon obtaining coolies in this village. 
 But he soon saw that he would have con- 
 siderable difficulty in getting them. Accom- 
 panied by Tha Bu, Cameron, Murray and 
 Mills strolled round the village in search of 
 171 ii 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the required coolies. All they could recruit 
 were two undersized and particularly 
 miserable-looking specimens of humanity. 
 On returning with these unsatisfactory 
 objects, they found that every one of the 
 cartmen had disappeared. The soldiers had 
 been holding a "sing-song " in the rest-house, 
 and had not troubled themselves about the 
 cartmen. 
 
 "They can scarcely have deserted," 
 Cameron said, " for they were to receive 
 their wages in a few minutes." 
 
 Tha Bu spoke hurriedly to the two coolies. 
 They replied briefly. 
 
 " There is an opium-den in this village ; " 
 Tha Bu said to Cameron : "we shall find 
 the cartmen there." 
 
 Guided by the coolies, Tha Bu and the 
 three Englishmen wended their way to the 
 opium-den. Tha Bu pushed open the door, 
 and the Englishmen entered. The pro- 
 prietor, a Chinaman, exhibited signs of great 
 terror on seeing the visitors, but finding they 
 172 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 did not seize him, he soon regained his com- 
 posure. The Englishmen gazed round the 
 room in amazement ; for it was indeed a 
 strange place. Two of the cartmen were 
 leaning back against big cushions, perfectly 
 insensible ; others were in a semi-dazed state. 
 The only one who was quite in his right 
 mind immediately bolted from the hut. 
 
 The visitors, piqued with curiosity, pur- 
 sued their investigations. One odd-looking 
 article, which they afterwards found to be an 
 opium-pipe, specially attracted their atten- 
 tion. They noticed that the bowl of this 
 pipe — there was only one in use — was made 
 of a cocoanut-shell with a hollow wooden 
 tube fitted tightly into a hole at the top, and 
 a little bamboo tube, about eighteen inches 
 in length, fixed into the side. The cocoanut 
 was half filled with water, and on the top of 
 the wooden tube was placed a small earthen 
 bowl — perforated at the bottom — filled with 
 opium and having a few pieces of fire upon 
 it. The proprietor handed round the pipe 
 x 73 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 to those who were seated with their backs 
 to the cushions, anxiously awaiting their turn 
 for a whiff of the much-loved narcotic. Hold- 
 ing the bottom of the cocoanut with one 
 hand and the wooden tube with the other, 
 he knelt down in front of the smoker, who 
 placed the bamboo tube in his mouth, and 
 gave three or four draws at it. The next 
 moment the smoker sank gently back against 
 the cushion and lay unconscious, with his 
 mouth wide open, for a few minutes. Then 
 he sighed heavily, opened his eyes, stretched 
 himself three or four times, and finally 
 rose. 
 
 When Tha Bu had sent the cartmen back 
 to their work, Murray declared his intention 
 of indulging in the Eastern luxury. His 
 friends earnestly endeavoured to dissuade 
 him, but in vain. He wiped the bamboo 
 tube with his pocket-handkerchief, and then 
 placed it in his mouth. In a few moments 
 he was unconscious. When he awoke, he 
 placed his hands to his forehead, as if in 
 174 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 pain. But in a few moments he sprang 
 smilingly to his feet. 
 
 " My dear fellows ! " he exclaimed enthusi- 
 astically, " I have had a most delightful 
 dream. Neither poet nor painter, were he 
 gifted beyond any man who ever lived, could 
 depict the glorious things I have seen and 
 heard. Never, while I live, shall I forget 
 them." 
 
 Cameron shrugged his shoulders, and 
 fearing that Murray might be tempted to 
 again lose himself in the land of incompar- 
 able delight, he got him as quickly as possible 
 out of the hut. 
 
 The cartmen were awaiting them. One 
 of the men addressed Tha Bu, who listened 
 in silence to all he had to say. Then Tha 
 Bu said to the Englishmen, "These cartmen 
 do not wish to leave your service. All the 
 wages that you owe them they had foolishly 
 gambled away or spent in the opium-hut 
 before you arrived. Therefore, if you will 
 have pity on them, and let them continue 
 *75 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 with you, their blessings will be upon you. 
 And as it is evident you cannot obtain other 
 coolies, you will be suiting your own con- 
 venience and earning a good name at the 
 same time." 
 
 "Accept their services," Cameron replied 
 bluntly. 
 
 Then he called the men together and paid 
 them. 
 
 The wily opium-hut proprietor was stand- 
 ing a few yards away, and each cartman, as 
 he received his money, handed it over to 
 him. 
 
 When the last man had been paid, Mills 
 commanded two of his own men to seize the 
 Chinaman. They obeyed him with alacrity. 
 
 " Return a rupee to each of those men," 
 Mills said to the Chinaman. 
 
 The Celestial sighed and protested, with 
 many pious allusions to his ancestors, that 
 he would be ruined. Finding, however, that 
 Mills took no notice of his protestations, he 
 fumbled about the pockets of his baggy 
 176 
 
The Fort Surrounded 
 
 trousers, and produced exactly the required 
 number of rupees. He gave one to each 
 man. Mills saw one man looking some- 
 what doubtfully at his coin, so he examined 
 every one of them himself. They were all 
 counterfeit ! 
 
 The Chinaman was . hurrying quickly 
 away. 
 
 " Fetch that man back ! " Mills shouted. 
 
 Johnson dashed after him and uncere- 
 moniously seized him. 
 
 " Now give me two rupees for each of 
 those men," Mills demanded. 
 
 The Chinaman wept copiously, but showed 
 no disposition to do as commanded. 
 
 "If you don't give me the money at once, 
 I shall increase the amount," Mills declared. 
 
 The money was immediately forthcoming ; 
 but it was a terrible shock to the wily China- 
 man when Mills absolutely declined to return 
 to him the counterfeit coins. 
 
 Half an hour later the travellers parted 
 from Mills and his men, and crossed the 
 177 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Moo. The soldiers gave them a hearty 
 parting cheer. 
 
 Having reached the opposite bank in 
 safety, they rested for a while before pro- 
 ceeding into the jungle. 
 
 The cartmen sat in a ring, telling fearful, 
 blood-curdling tales of the horrors performed 
 by the evil nats of the forest. Suddenly the 
 Chinese opium-hut proprietor approached 
 them quietly. He had followed them, un- 
 seen, across the river, determined, if possible, 
 to get his money back. They made room 
 for him. He squatted down, and in a few 
 minutes produced three cards, on which were 
 drawn respectively a peacock, a tiger, and 
 an elephant. He then performed the three- 
 card trick with the unsurpassed skill of a 
 Chinaman, and in a very short time had won 
 every anna that the cartmen possessed. 
 Then he quickly decamped, for fear the 
 Englishmen might see him. 
 
 178 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE FIRE-WALKING ORDEAL 
 
 CHEATS and thieves do not always 
 get their deserts in this world, and 
 the crafty Chinaman, managing to escape 
 unobserved, missed the trouncing he would 
 inevitably have received had any one of the 
 Englishmen caught him at his knavery. 
 
 Soon after sunrise the following morn- 
 ing Johnson detected a Burman peering 
 at the little camp through the elephant 
 grass. He rushed at him, and after a brief 
 struggle captured him and took him to his 
 masters. Cameron charged the man with 
 being a dacoit ; but he indignantly denied 
 the accusation, declaring that he lived alone 
 in the jungle to feed a captive cobra. And 
 »79 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 in support of his words he pointed to a net 
 of eggs that he was taking to the creature. 
 He even went so far as to invite the English 
 lords to accompany him and see for them- 
 selves that what he had said was true. The 
 invitation was accepted ; and Cameron, Mur- 
 ray, Johnson, and Tha Bu, all well armed, 
 immediately started off to see the cobra. 
 
 " I suppose you have never seen a cobra 
 in an ant-hill ? " Tha Bu said to Johnson as 
 they trudged along. 
 
 " No, nor an elephant in a swallow's nest," 
 Johnson replied fiercely. 
 
 " Come, come, Johnson," said Cameron 
 soothingly, " don't be so touchy, man. Tha 
 Bu is not chaffing you. Cobras are caught 
 in ant-hills. White ants travel about in this 
 part of the world in large armies, and 
 occasionally throw up, in an incredibly short 
 time, a hill about two feet high and twelve 
 feet in diameter in which to store provisions. 
 But the cobra, being of a lazy disposition, 
 and perhaps incapable of making a dwelling - 
 1 80 
 
The Fire-ivalking Ordeal 
 
 place for his partner, enters the ant-hill, 
 drives out its occupants, and makes it suit- 
 able for his expected family. Unfortunately 
 for the cobra, a watch is frequently kept on 
 these ant-hills, and as soon as he has been 
 observed to enter one, the men of the village 
 build around it, as quickly as possible, a 
 strong fence bristling with spears and thorn 
 bushes. If the cobra attempts to escape he 
 gets impaled ; if he reconciles himself to his 
 captivity he lives in peace and luxury." 
 
 " Don't they kill the creature, then ? " 
 Johnson asked in surprise. 
 
 "No, because the Burmese believe that 
 the souls of men and women who have not 
 lived orood lives enter into animals and 
 reptiles, and consequently they are forbidden 
 by their religion to kill anything." 
 
 This was Johnson's first introduction to 
 the doctrine of transmigration, and he 
 laughed heartily. 
 
 " Do you believe that nonsense, Tha Bu ? " 
 he asked a few minutes later. 
 181 
 
The Dacoit 's Treasure 
 
 " Nonsense ! " Tha Bu exclaimed angrily. 
 " What right have you to call it nonsense ? 
 You are not a wise man. A fool does not 
 gain wisdom by waiting on a wise man, any 
 more than a spoon knows the taste of curry 
 gravy. As for your religion, I have studied 
 it and rejected it. You say that your God, 
 who made everything, is just and impartial, 
 but how can that be when some men are 
 born great and others lowly ; some are rich 
 and others poor ; some beautiful, others ugly ; 
 some live to a venerable age, others die 
 young ; some enjoy perfect health, others 
 suffer hopelessly year after year ? Would a 
 just and impartial God make those who have 
 done no wrong suffer ? Certainly not, and 
 the only explanation I can accept is that 
 good and evil arise from ourselves, and that 
 according to our merits or demerits in one life 
 we are made better or worse in our next." 
 
 " Suppose, then, that on the spur of the 
 moment you gave way to temptation and 
 committed some sin of which you repented 
 182 
 
The Fire-walking Ordeal 
 
 immediately. Your religion would not take 
 into consideration your repentance, but would 
 punish you as severely as if you had delibe- 
 rately sinned and gloried in it. Now, my 
 religion teaches me that if I repent of my 
 sins I shall be forgiven. Your God may be 
 just and impartial, but mine is better still, 
 for He is merciful." 
 
 Tha Bu was considerably surprised at 
 Johnson's unusual seriousness and eloquence. 
 He made no reply, however, but busied 
 himself in examining his rifle. 
 
 In about a quarter of an hour the five 
 men reached the cobra's enclosure. They 
 mounted a high bamboo platform and gazed 
 down on to the ant-hill. Soon they noticed 
 the cobra peeping out of one of the holes. 
 He had recognised the voice of the man 
 who daily fed him. Directly the eggs and 
 some milk were lowered, the huge reptile 
 came out of his house, without exhibiting 
 the slightest fear, and ate the good things 
 provided for him. 
 
 183 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " There is one thing I don't understand 
 about this matter," Cameron said to the 
 Burmese prisoner. " How is it that the 
 cobra is a captive when there is no village 
 near f 
 
 " When he first came to this ant-hill," the 
 Burman replied, "a large village stood here. 
 But one night Po Thaw and his vile men 
 attacked the village and killed all who re- 
 sisted them. At the bos command thirteen 
 small babies were thrown alive into the 
 cobra's pit before their mother's eyes. May 
 the white lords never see such an awful 
 sight ! When the dacoits had taken all the 
 wealth they could find they burned the 
 village to the ground, and now the jungle 
 has grown over it. For many days I was 
 lying between life and death, for I had 
 seventeen dak wounds in my body. And 
 when at last I recovered I found that of all 
 the living creatures that once dwelt in the 
 village the cobra and I alone remained. 
 There was no phoongyee whom I could 
 184 
 
The Fire-walking Ordeal 
 
 consult, but I knew my duty as a good 
 Buddhist, and from that day I have dwelt 
 alone in my hut in the jungle so that I 
 might obtain merit by daily feeding the 
 cobra." 
 
 " Do you not fear the dacoits' return ? " 
 
 " I am a son of the jungle, my lord, and 
 neither the dacoits nor you could discover 
 my hut. I should know of a man's approach 
 long before he reached me, and would, if 
 necessary, take precautions for my safety." 
 
 " Do you know where Po Thaw and his 
 men are now ? " 
 
 " I know that they are not on this side of 
 the river, but I expect they will be in a few 
 days. Po Thaw likes this part of the land 
 better than any other, for not very many 
 miles away dwells the beautiful Mah Noo." 
 
 "His wife? " 
 
 The Burman laughed merrily. " Po 
 
 Thaw would be happy if she were," he 
 
 said, " but she hates him as if he were 
 
 an evil nat. She speaks to him words 
 
 185 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 which no man dare utter. She calls him a 
 coward ; she laughs at his threats ; she tells 
 his men not to do the vile things he orders ; 
 and she vows that sooner than marry him 
 she will die. Now I must leave the brave 
 white lords, for my hidden hut is not far 
 away." 
 
 Cameron offered the Burman a present 
 of five rupees, which, however, he declined. 
 
 " A friendly action is best paid by thanks," 
 he said courteously, and then quickly de- 
 parted. 
 
 " So after all Po Thaw is sufficiently 
 human to have an affection for a woman 
 who defies him," Murray said a little later. 
 " Well, that is one redeeming trait in his 
 character, at any rate. I had an idea that 
 his way with the ladies was 'love me or 
 you die.' " 
 
 " Now, the curious thing is," said Cameron, 
 "that I have heard of this woman Mah 
 Noo, but quite forgot to mention her to 
 you." 
 
 186 
 
The Fire-ivalking Ordeal 
 
 " Tell me all about her, then, for I feel 
 greatly interested. I should be interested 
 in any woman who had the pluck to openly 
 defy our enemy Po Thaw." 
 
 " Well, do you remember Miss Clarence ? 
 I introduced you to her one night at the 
 Gymkhana." 
 
 For a few moments Murray appeared to 
 be deep in thought. " Oh, yes, I remember 
 her perfectly," he said at last. "A fat little 
 girl, with red hair." 
 
 " No, no ! Miss Clarence is a tall, grace- 
 ful girl, with brown hair shot with gold, blue 
 eyes 
 
 "In fact, wonderfully like a penny nove- 
 lette heroine," Murray interrupted. "Your 
 description doesn't help me in the least. 
 Did I dance with her ? " 
 
 " You did, twice." 
 
 " Oh, I remember — the girl you slipped 
 down with in the lancers ? " 
 
 " Yes, that was Miss Clarence." 
 
 "Then why didn't you say so at once, my 
 187 12 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 dear fellow ? I should have known who you 
 meant straight off. But what has she to do 
 with the audacious Mah Noo ? " 
 
 " She knows her. I was telling her that 
 evening " 
 
 "Which evening? At the dance when 
 you fell " 
 
 " Yes, yes. Well, when I mentioned that 
 you and I were going into this part of the 
 country she became deeply interested, and 
 told me that a schoolfellow of hers, a 
 Burmese girl named Mah Noo, lived some- 
 where in this direction. They had been at 
 boarding-school together at Brighton, and 
 Miss Clarence declares that Mah Noo is the 
 sweetest, kindest, and cleverest girl she ever 
 knew. They had parted in the usual way 
 of school-girls, vowing eternal friendship, 
 and solemnly promising to write to each 
 other by every mail. Miss Clarence did 
 write several letters to Mah Noo, but re- 
 ceived no replies. I persuaded her, how- 
 ever, to write one more letter and to entrust 
 188 
 
The Fire-walking Ordeal 
 
 it to me to deliver if ever we saw her. I 
 have the letter in my pocket." 
 
 u Well, I sincerely hope that we shall 
 meet the young lady, if it is only to see 
 what effect a Brighton education has had 
 upon her." 
 
 At that moment Tha Bu, who had been 
 walking some distance ahead, came hurrying 
 back to them, holding up his hands as a sign 
 for them to halt. 
 
 " Between thirty and forty Mohammedans, 
 all armed with revolvers, are near at hand," 
 he reported to Cameron. 
 
 "Are they approaching us?" Cameron 
 asked. 
 
 " No, sir, they have crossed our path and 
 are now descending into a hollow some 
 hundred yards on our right." 
 
 " Are you certain that they are Moham- 
 medans, and not dacoits in disguise ? " 
 
 " Quite, sir. I was near enough to hear 
 them talk. They are expecting to meet 
 some more of their co-religionists soon. I 
 189 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 do not believe they would be hostile to us 
 if they saw us, but nevertheless it would 
 be well to watch them, hidden from their 
 sight." 
 
 Cameron and Murray looked at each other 
 in silence. The same thought had occurred 
 to both of them. The Mohammedans had 
 evidently, by some means or other, heard of 
 the hidden treasure and were pushing for- 
 ward to secure it. 
 
 " Tha Bu, are you confident that you are 
 taking us the nearest way to the Sunrise 
 Pagoda ? " Cameron asked. 
 
 " Quite, sir. Why do you doubt it ? " 
 
 " I was thinking that the path the 
 Mohammedans had taken was perhaps 
 nearer." 
 
 Tha Bu smiled. "If the Mohammedans 
 are also travelling to the Sunrise Pagoda," 
 he said, "they will be very many days before 
 they reach it, if they continue in the direc- 
 tion they are going." 
 
 " But what can the Mohammedans be 
 190 
 
The Fire-zvalking Ordeal 
 
 doing in this part? Had they any mer- 
 chandise with them ? " 
 
 " I saw none ; but it would be well, 
 perhaps, if we watched them. I know a 
 spot from where we can gaze down into 
 the hollow whither they have just gone. 
 Shall I lead you to it ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 For nearly a quarter of a mile the three 
 Englishmen silently followed Tha Bu, who 
 always found a passage through what ap- 
 peared at first to be impenetrable vegetation. 
 At last he stopped, knelt down, and signalled 
 to them to imitate him. They did so, and 
 in a minute or two found themselves on the 
 brink of a precipice. They gazed down, 
 and beheld some sixty feet below them an 
 open space about a hundred yards square. 
 Whether it had been dug out by man, or 
 was the work of nature, they were unable to 
 determine. The jungle plants grew to the 
 very brink, and the steep sides were brilliant 
 with o-ororeous flowers. But the travellers 
 
 191 
 
The Dacoifs Treasztre 
 
 scarcely noticed the beauties of the scene, 
 their attention being devoted to the move- 
 ments of quite a hundred Mohammedans 
 who were assembled in the hollow. Some 
 were very old men with beards dyed red — 
 a sign, as Cameron explained in a whisper, 
 that they had made a pilgrimage to Mecca ; 
 while others were but youths. The old and 
 elderly men were in a large majority. The 
 young men looked restless and nervous. In 
 the centre of the hollow was a ditch, fifteen 
 feet long and three feet wide, full of red-hot 
 charcoal. A number of men were engaged 
 in adding fuel to it. After gazing at the 
 scene in wonderment for some ten minutes, 
 Tha Bu gave a sign, and the Englishmen, 
 following him, crept slowly away. 
 
 When they had gone some distance 
 Murray inquired, "Well, what in the name 
 of goodness were they doing ? " 
 
 " Preparing for a religious ceremony," 
 Cameron answered. "To-night those young 
 Mohammedans we saw will walk barefooted 
 192 
 
The Fire-walking Ordea! 
 
 along that fiery path. They think that if 
 they are true believers the fire can do them 
 no harm." 
 
 "Then I propose that we witness the 
 ceremony," said Murray. 
 
 "Very well, we will." 
 
 About twelve o'clock that night Tha Bu, 
 followed by Cameron and Murray, again 
 crept to the edge of the precipice. It was a 
 terribly weird scene that they gazed upon 
 this time. In the centre, the fiery path 
 threw a lurid glare upon the men, who 
 moved quietly to and fro. The heat from 
 the fire was intense, and made the perspira- 
 tion pour from the two Englishmen, distant 
 as they were from it. Some twenty yards 
 away from the fire, a large number of 
 worshippers sat cross-legged on mats and 
 carpets, beating their breasts ; the voices of 
 men and boys mingling in a sad, wailing 
 chant. For a few minutes there would be 
 silence, broken only by the words of the 
 priest. Then, suddenly, the worshippers 
 i93 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 would break out into a loud chant, beating 
 their breasts as they did so. 
 
 This continued until about one o'clock, 
 when torches were placed in the hands of 
 the youths who were to walk through the 
 fire. Waving aloft their lighted torches, 
 they dashed madly round the valley, uttering 
 loud cries. In the meantime, a number of 
 men stood on either side of the fire, waving 
 across it, backwards and forwards, pennants, 
 attached to long sticks. A few minutes later, 
 a wild shout announced that the youths were 
 approaching the fire. The men with the 
 pennants hastily drew back. The young 
 fanatics, twenty in number, shouting loudly 
 and beating their breasts wildly, walked 
 barefooted round and round the fire. Some 
 of them lost courage, and were supported on 
 either side by friends, who, with words and 
 wild gestures, strove to excite them to 
 bravery. The excitement became intense 
 when the leader of the procession halted at 
 the end of the long fire, as if about to step 
 194 
 
SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES THEY PASSED THROUGH THE FIRE. 
 
The Fire-walking Ordeal 
 
 into it. But his courage failed him, and, 
 with still louder cries of encouragement from 
 their friends, the men walked round once 
 more. 
 
 The next time, however, the leader did 
 not hesitate for one moment, but stepped 
 boldly into the red-hot fire, and ran the 
 whole length of it. The others followed 
 him : some running quickly, and others 
 deliberately walking. Not one of the 
 twenty youths shirked the ordeal. Seven 
 or eight times they passed through the fire, 
 and frequently the red-hot cinders stuck to 
 their naked feet. No cry of pain escaped 
 them, however. Soon they worked them- 
 selves into such a state of religious excite- 
 ment that all semblance of order was lost. 
 It became impossible to restrain the youths 
 from rushing up and down the fiery path, 
 instead of awaiting their turn. 
 
 Six of them were dancing like madmen in 
 the fire, when all at once, as the Englishmen 
 looked on, there was a flash, a report, and 
 197 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 several of the poor wretches fell wounded on 
 to the burning path. Instantly their friends 
 rushed to rescue them from a horrible death 
 but almost simultaneously a murderous fire 
 was opened on them also, and many fell 
 dead or wounded on the red-hot cinders. 
 
 For a few moments the surviving Moham- 
 medans, who seemed completely powerless 
 with surprise, huddled together like a flock 
 of sheep, gazing hopelessly up at the place 
 which concealed their unknown enemy. 
 
 Presently another volley was poured into 
 them, with deadly effect. This aroused the 
 fanatics to madness. They seized their 
 revolvers and rushed furiously up the steep, 
 hidden path, which led to the top of the 
 cliff. But the mysterious enemy was await- 
 ing them, and met the defenders with 
 another destructive volley. In a few 
 minutes there was a heap of dead and 
 dying Mohammedans at the foot of the 
 path. 
 
 The dacoits, for such were the aggressors 
 198 
 
The Fire-walkinp Ordeal 
 
 now burst into loud shouts of triumph, and 
 swarmed down the path to commence their 
 work of plunder and mutilation. 
 
 But Cameron, Murray, and Tha Bu had 
 meanwhile loaded their rifles, and directly 
 the dacoits rushed into the arena, they fired. 
 Three men instantly fell dead. At this, 
 without a moment's hesitation, the remaining 
 rascals ran pell-mell to the path to escape. 
 Some of the dying Mohammedans, however, 
 with a final effort, fired their revolvers as the 
 dacoits passed them. 
 
 A regular panic now seized the miserable 
 robbers, who fought madly among them- 
 selves to escape up the narrow path. Into 
 this struggling crowd Cameron, Murray, and 
 Tha Bu, burning with righteous indignation 
 against the wanton aggressors, fired again 
 and again. At last the surviving dacoits 
 managed to escape, and all was silent. 
 
 The fiery path threw a lurid glare upon 
 a horrible scene of slaughter, and already 
 two or three jackals had appeared. 
 199 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " We must go down there, and see if any 
 of the poor wretches are alive," Murray said 
 decisively, when the last shot was fired. 
 
 "Why deal unnecessary blows?" Tha Bu 
 asked with surprise. "If the vile dogs are 
 not dead, they will be before many hours." 
 
 "If we leave them there, no doubt," was 
 the reply. " Possibly we shall be able to 
 save the lives of some." 
 
 "Why should you, sir? They are not 
 your friends. The dacoits would kill you 
 at any time, and the Mohammedans would 
 most certainly have murdered you had they 
 seen you when they were excited over the 
 fire-walking ordeal." 
 
 "Tha Bu," said Cameron, "you have 
 diligently acquired the habits of Englishmen, 
 but I fear that you know little of their feel- 
 ings. Lead us down into the hollow at 
 once! 
 
 Tha Bu silently did as he was commanded, 
 but it took nearly half an hour to reach the 
 scene of the fight. All three then searched 
 
 200 
 
The Fire-walking Ordeal 
 
 among the fallen foes for a sign of life. At 
 last they found a Burman who still breathed. 
 They bandaged his wound, gave him water 
 to drink, and, later, plantains to eat. At 
 first the man was suspicious that they in- 
 tended to torture him, but he soon became 
 convinced that his fears were groundless. 
 Then he expressed to Tha Bu his thanks 
 for the Englishmen's kindness. 
 
 At Cameron's desire Tha Bu questioned 
 him about the dacoit band to which he 
 belonged. Gratitude unloosed the wretched 
 man's tongue, and he readily told the guide 
 that the raid upon the Mohammedans had 
 been made without Po Thaw's sanction or 
 knowledge. Po Thaw, and the majority of 
 his men, had not yet crossed the Moo, and 
 were not expected to do so for a day or two. 
 The men who attacked the fire-walkers were 
 proceeding quietly to the place appointed by 
 the do, when one of them by chance dis- 
 covered the Mohammedans. They promptly 
 decided to attack them and divide the 
 
 201 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 plunder among themselves. But the most 
 important piece of information Tha Bu 
 obtained was that when Po Thaw crossed 
 the river he would travel straight to the 
 appointed meeting-place, which lay in a 
 different direction from the Englishmen's 
 planned journey. Cameron and Murray 
 were somewhat relieved to hear that, but 
 Johnson and Tha Bu were far from pleased 
 at there being no immediate prospect of 
 their making another effort to kill or capture 
 the infamous bo. 
 
 202 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 MAH NOO 
 
 TWO days later the travellers became 
 aware that they were approaching a 
 village. They proceeded cautiously, for fear 
 it might prove to be a stronghold of the 
 dacoits. 
 
 Suddenly the three Englishmen halted 
 and listened. A sweet girlish voice singing 
 " Home, Sweet Home " filled them with 
 astonishment and delight. Two verses were 
 sung, but the Englishmen did not move a 
 step. Each had a lump in his throat. 
 Johnson had tears in his eyes ; he brushed 
 them hurriedly away and glared at Tha Bu. 
 
 " Let us see who she is ! " Murray said, 
 and proceeded in the direction of the voice. 
 The others followed him. 
 
 20' 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 In a minute or two they discovered a 
 graceful girl seated at an easel, painting. 
 
 At first they thought she was English, for 
 she was attired in a charming European 
 dress, but when she turned round to speak 
 to one of the two Burmese women who were 
 sitting smoking their cheroots near her, they 
 saw at once that she was a Burmese girl. It 
 was evident, too, that she was somebody 
 of importance, for a number of men, armed 
 with somewhat antiquated rifles, were seated 
 at a respectful distance from her and 
 apparently guarding her. A handsome 
 dooly proclaimed her mode of travelling. 
 
 For some time the three Englishmen, half 
 hidden behind some jungle plants, watched 
 her in silence. 
 
 Then Murray whispered to Cameron, 
 " She's out and out the prettiest Burmese 
 girl I have ever seen. I must have a closer 
 look at her. Come along, we'll go and 
 speak to her." 
 
 Without waiting to see if Cameron and 
 204 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 the others were following, Murray stepped 
 out into the open and walked quickly 
 towards the young Burmese lady. Her 
 guard raised their rifles menacingly directly 
 they saw the intruder, but at a word from 
 her they lowered them. 
 
 Her eyes brightened at the sight of the 
 Englishmen, and they knew at once that 
 their presence was not unwelcome. They 
 raised their helmets, and Murray said — 
 
 " I must apologise for our rushing into 
 your presence in this manner, but when we 
 heard you singing 'Home, Sweet Home' 
 we were so delighted that we hurried to you 
 thinking — er ' 
 
 " Thinking that I was a countrywoman of 
 yours, I suppose," she suggested in a sweet 
 voice and perfect English. "Well, it must 
 
 be a great disappointment to you to find 
 
 >> 
 me 
 
 "I'm sure it is nothing of the kind," 
 
 Murray broke in gallantly ; " for if you are 
 
 not English by birth you have the tastes 
 
 205 13 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 and accomplishments of an Englishwoman. 
 That is very evident." 
 
 " Well, I must confess that I like England 
 much better than I do Burma. I try to be 
 patriotic, but I can't. My only excuse is 
 that I was for eight years at a school at 
 Brighton." 
 
 " At Brighton ! " Cameron exclaimed. 
 1 Then you are Mah Noo ? " 
 
 "Yes, that is my name," she replied with 
 surprise. " But how — how did you know 
 it?" 
 
 "That," said Cameron, "you will easily 
 understand when I explain that we know 
 your friend Miss Clarence. She it was who 
 told us about you. And, now that I come 
 to think of it, she has a grievance against 
 you. She said you promised to write to 
 her, but have not done so." 
 
 Mah Noo stared at her visitors in blank 
 
 astonishment. "Well," she said at length, 
 
 " to think that you should be friends of 
 
 my old schoolfellow, Edith Clarence, and 
 
 206 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 that we should meet here in the wilds of 
 Burma ! She has not forgotten me, then ? 
 Ah, and neither have I forgotten her ! I 
 would have written to her frequently, but — 
 but the fact is I am a prisoner." 
 
 " A prisoner ! " Cameron and Murray 
 exclaimed, glancing at the easel and dooly. 
 
 " Yes, I am surrounded with nearly every 
 comfort that can be obtained in this country, 
 but nevertheless I am a prisoner. These 
 servants who surround me are also my 
 keepers ; they both obey me and rule me." 
 
 " I — I really don't understand," Murray 
 declared. 
 
 " Well, I will tell you my history. But 
 first tell me of my friend. When did you 
 last see her ? Where is she living now ? 
 When is she coming to Burma ? " 
 
 " We last saw her in Rangoon about three 
 weeks ago." 
 
 "In Rangoon ! Oh, how I wish I might 
 see her ! " 
 
 " I have a letter from her to you," 
 207 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 Cameron joined in. " She gave it to me a 
 day or two before we left Rangoon, in case 
 I should come across you." 
 
 Man Noo took the letter eagerly, and 
 asking the Englishmen to excuse her, read it 
 again and again. And as she read it the 
 travellers were able to have a good look at 
 her. Cameron did not admire her very 
 much, for his thoughts just then were full of 
 Edith Clarence ; but Murray's conviction 
 that she was the prettiest girl he had 
 seen since he left England became 
 strengthened. Certainly she was prettier 
 than the average Burmese girl, for her nose 
 was not large and flat like most Burmese 
 beauties, but was small and just a wee bit tip- 
 tilted. Her eyes were dark and expressive, 
 and shaded by long, dark lashes. Her hair, 
 of course, was jet-black, but although done 
 up in the style that was fashionable when 
 she left England a year previously, it was 
 adorned Burmese fashion with exquisite 
 flowers. And certainly her complexion was 
 208 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 no darker than many a pure-bred English 
 girl's. 
 
 " Then you are Mr. Cameron, I suppose ? " 
 she said to Cameron when she had finished 
 reading the letter. 
 
 "Yes," he replied, "and my companions 
 are Mr. Murray and his confidential servant." 
 
 "Well, I will tell you my history now. 
 My father was a woon-gyee l in the time of 
 King Mindoon. But when the king died he 
 fled from Mandalay ; for Theebaw, knowing 
 that his father had not intended him to 
 ascend the throne, had determined to kill all 
 who were acquainted with the late king's 
 wishes. We reached Lower Burma in 
 safety and settled down in Moulmein, where 
 my father, who always liked the English, 
 made many friends. For six months I had 
 an English governess, and finally, at the 
 advice of his friends, my father sent me, 
 when ten years old, to England. I remained 
 at Brighton for eight years. Then my 
 
 1 Secretary of State. 
 209 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 father, who had returned to Mandalay after 
 its capture by the British, sent for me. 
 Greatly to my surprise he did not meet me 
 at Rangoon, nor was he waiting for me at 
 Mandalay. My uncle Bah Wah quieted my 
 anxiety by telling me that my father was 
 living on the banks of the Moo, and that as 
 he was too unwell to travel he had sent him 
 to meet me instead. We quitted Mandalay 
 immediately, and reached our destination in 
 three days ; only to find, however, that my 
 dear father had been brutally murdered by 
 that arch-fiend Po Thaw for refusing to assist 
 him in his depredations. I begged to be 
 allowed to return to Mandalay at once, and 
 my uncle consented, but Po Thaw appeared 
 on the scene and threatened to kill him if I 
 were permitted to depart. Since then I have 
 been a prisoner. My uncle is a vain man, 
 and because we are descendants of the great 
 Alompra l lives in almost regal style. So 
 
 1 Aloung-payah, commonly called Alompra, was a man 
 of humble birth who headed a rising against the 
 
 2IO 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 long as he prevents my escape Po Thaw has 
 promised to uphold his dignity." 
 
 " But why does Po Thaw want to keep 
 you a prisoner ? " Murray asked, on the spur 
 of the moment. 
 
 " Because — because he wants me to 
 become his wife." 
 
 " The scoundrel ! " 
 
 " After all, I may perhaps never see him 
 again, for I hear that he was severely 
 wounded two days ago and is not expected 
 to be able to move for some time. It may 
 sound unwomanly and heartless, but I hope 
 sincerely that he will not recover from his 
 illness." 
 
 "A hope which is shared without a doubt 
 by hundreds of people. I am delighted to 
 hear that he is wounded ; but an honourable 
 death is a thing I grudge him. Are you 
 certain he is severely wounded ? " 
 
 victorious King of Pegu. He defeated the Peguans, was 
 proclaimed King of Burma, and founded the last 
 Burmese dynasty. 
 
 211 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 " Oh, yes. I have one servant who is 
 faithful to me, and he keeps me informed of 
 all the movements of the 60." 
 
 V Then I suppose it was you who sent 
 those timely letters of warning to the fort ? " 
 
 " I did write to the officer ; but how did 
 you hear of it ? " 
 
 "We were at the fort when the first letter 
 arrived. By your friendly action you prob- 
 ably saved our lives, and I can assure you 
 that we don't intend to forget the debt we 
 owe you. We will arrange for your escape 
 as speedily as possible. Will your uncle 
 receive us in a peaceful manner ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, especially if he knows that you 
 have no intention of interfering with his 
 miniature kingdom. I am afraid that you 
 will be sorely tempted to laugh outright 
 when you see his pompous style of living, 
 but don't do so if you can help it. And now 
 I must return, or he will hear of my con- 
 versation with you before I tell him of your 
 arrival." 
 
 212 
 
Mali Noo 
 
 She said something to her attendants 
 bowed smilingly to the Englishmen, then 
 took her seat in the dooly, and in a few 
 minutes was carried out of sight. 
 
 For some time the Englishmen stood 
 where Mah Noo had left them, without 
 uttering a word. 
 
 Then Murray said, in the tone of a man 
 prepared to defend his words, " She's the 
 sweetest girl I ever met." 
 
 Cameron made no reply. 
 
 " Don't you think so ? " Murray asked 
 sharply. 
 
 <( I'm quite unable to form an opinion," 
 Cameron declared. u How should I know 
 what girls you have met ? " 
 
 " Well, isn't she the sweetest gir\ you ever 
 met ? " 
 
 " No, she is not. At the same time I 
 don't deny that she is a very nice girl." 
 
 " Nice is a paltry adjective to apply to 
 such a sweet, kind, and clever girl." 
 
 " Good gracious, man, how do you know 
 213 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 she is all that ? We were only speaking to 
 her for two minutes." 
 
 " I am repeating Miss Clarence's opinion 
 of her. You told me that so she described 
 her." 
 
 "Ah, yes, I had forgotten that. Miss 
 Clarence, of course, had many opportunities 
 to judge of her character, and I have no 
 doubt that what she said aptly describes 
 Mah Noo." 
 
 " Po Thaw shall not marry her if I can 
 prevent him. It makes my blood boil to 
 think of such a vile wretch marrying her. 
 If we can't make her old uncle, who appears 
 to be a champion fool, listen to reason, we 
 must carry Mah Noo off and take her to 
 Mandalay." 
 
 Cameron said nothing more, for he saw 
 that Murray had taken a violent fancy to 
 the Burmese girl. 
 
 They hurried back to their men, and 
 drank the tea which Mah Shway O had 
 prepared, in silence. 
 
 214 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 " Here comes a messenger, sir," Tha Bu 
 exclaimed. 
 
 The Englishmen looked up from con- 
 templating their cups and saw a Burman 
 riding quickly towards them. His appear- 
 ance was decidedly grotesque. His long 
 black hair was streaming loosely from his 
 head, mingling with the ends of his gorgeous 
 turban. His white jacket was flying behind 
 him, and his long scarlet tassel trappings 
 were swinging about in a most perplexing 
 fashion. His knees nearly touched his chin ; 
 his feet were bare, and one toe only was 
 placed in each stirrup. And to add to the 
 extraordinary effect, he waved his arms wildly 
 in the air and shouted excitedly. He pulled 
 up suddenly on reaching the party, and 
 addressed Tha Bu thus — 
 
 "It has reached the Golden Ears that 
 the white strangers from over the sea are 
 drawing nigh to his kingdom. What is their 
 business with the Lord of the Celestial 
 Elephant? " 
 
 215 
 
The Dacoifs Treasttre 
 
 "Whom do you call the Lord of the 
 Celestial Elephant?" Tha Bu asked haughtily. 
 " I am a true-bred Burman and know that 
 the one to whom that title belongs is no 
 longer in Burma." 
 
 " Bah Wah now bears that title. In 
 his veins flows the blood of the mighty 
 Alompra." 
 
 ''Tell him, then," said Cameron, "that 
 we come on a friendly visit. We are subjects 
 of the mighty Queen of England, travelling 
 on pleasure." 
 
 "Then, my lord, I have authority to con- 
 duct you to the Golden Feet." 
 
 The messenger dismounted, and in a few 
 minutes the travellers followed him to the 
 village. The first thing that attracted their 
 attention was a man lying flat on his back 
 in the main street, with a heavy stone on his 
 chest, which effectually prevented his moving. 
 Inquiry elicited the fact that he was one of 
 Bah Wah's ministers ; he had displeased his 
 master and was being punished accordingly. 
 216 
 
Mak Noo 
 
 The poor fellow was lying in the scorch- 
 ing sun, but bore the punishment with the 
 stoicism characteristic of Burmans. 
 
 "It strikes me we had better mind our p's 
 and q's," Murray remarked ; " for a man who 
 can treat one of his courtiers in that fashion 
 has probably a choice assortment of punish- 
 ments reserved for outsiders." 
 
 There were further signs, too, that this 
 little village was ruled in very much the 
 same fashion as Theebaw ruled his domin- 
 ions. Several one-armed men were walking 
 about ; Tha Bu explained that they were 
 convicted thieves. For the first offence, as 
 already stated, a thief is branded on cheeks 
 and chest ; for the second he loses an arm ; 
 for the third the punishment is death. 
 
 Bah Wah's palace was not a very magnifi- 
 cent place, being simply a disused kyoung, 
 which he had appropriated. Into the as- 
 sembly hall of this building the Englishmen 
 and Tha Bu were conducted and requested 
 to sit down. They did so, although etiquette 
 217 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 made them very uncomfortable by compelling 
 them to hide their feet. Several members 
 of the nobility were present, conspicuous in 
 the chains of their order, the number of 
 chains they wore denoting their rank. Some 
 wore three, some six, some nine, and others 
 twelve. The rank of several others could be 
 discovered by the shape of the betel-boxes 
 and spittoons which their attendants carried. 
 At last Bah Wah entered the hall, and 
 immediately the courtiers fell flat upon their 
 faces, and remained in that position until he 
 had taken his seat. Then he said to Tha 
 Bu— 
 
 " Can you speak the language of the 
 white strangers ? " 
 
 " I can, my lord," Tha Bu replied. 
 
 "Then you shall be the 'lord of my 
 words.' " 
 
 " I will tell them the words of the Great 
 Lord of Righteousness." 
 
 At a sign from Tha Bu the Englishmen 
 then advanced and placed before Bah Wah 
 218 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 a few presents, consisting of three pieces of 
 cloth, a bottle of pickles, a cake of soap — 
 which the potentate's eldest son began to eat — 
 a sixpenny telescope, and a handglass. Bah 
 Wah expressed himself as being very pleased 
 with the presents, but his pleasure did not 
 beget generosity, for all he gave in return 
 was a pineapple and two oranges. Then he 
 began to question them. First, he inquired 
 after the Great White Queen ; then he asked 
 their names and ages ; then whether they 
 could take their teeth out, and if they were 
 married. Those questions being satisfactorily 
 answered, he asked, through Tha Bu, " Is 
 your country as powerful as Russia ? " 
 
 "Yes, more powerful," Cameron replied; 
 " we have fought the Russians and beaten 
 them." 
 
 " But you cannot always beat the dacoits." 
 "No, nor can the brave warrior always 
 kill the mosquito which irritates him. Eng- 
 land is the most powerful country in the 
 world, and her enemies cannot stand against 
 219 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 her for long. The days of the dacoits are 
 numbered." 
 
 Bah Wah changed the subject of conver- 
 sation with conspicuous abruptness. 
 
 11 Can you play chess ? " he asked. 
 
 " I can," Cameron replied. 
 
 " Then we will play a game together. 
 Follow me." 
 
 They followed the descendant of the great 
 warrior to his private apartments, which were 
 by no means extravagantly furnished. On a 
 little bamboo table a chess-board was open, 
 with the men already arranged. An attendant 
 placed the board on the ground, with a 
 cushion for each of the players to squat down 
 upon. But although the board contained 
 sixty-four squares and the men numbered 
 sixteen on each side, Cameron discovered at 
 once that the Burmese game was different 
 from the English one. Tha Bu went to his 
 assistance and explained the power and 
 disposal of the men. The king and the 
 minister — there is no queen — are mounted 
 220 
 
Mah Noo 
 
 on two elephants and are defended by two 
 castles, two knights on horseback, two officers 
 on foot, and eight foot-soldiers. The men 
 are arranged in three lines so as to leave 
 eight squares unoccupied, and none of them 
 possess the power of the English chess queen. 
 Cameron soon grew interested in the game, 
 for the Burmese style was exceedingly novel 
 and complicated. For some time Murray 
 watched the play patiently, hoping that Mah 
 Noo would shortly enter the room. But as 
 the time passed on without her appearing he 
 grew restless, and quitting the players, who 
 were engrossed in the game, strolled along 
 the verandah of the palace, thinking that 
 perhaps he might come across her there. 
 And in a charming little nook, surrounded 
 by graceful palms and brilliant flowers, he 
 found her reading a popular English novel. 
 At her feet sat a little girl smoking a huge 
 cheroot. Mah Noo appeared a little sur- 
 prised to see Murray ; but she was evidently 
 not displeased. 
 
 221 14 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Aren't you afraid to wander about the 
 palace of the ' Lord of many White 
 Elephants ! in this manner ? " she asked 
 with a smile. 
 
 " Is it a dangerous thing to do, then ? " he 
 inquired, as he leant against the verandah 
 and looked at her with scarcely disguised 
 admiration. 
 
 14 Well, I really can't say, for you are the 
 first white man I have ever seen here. Where 
 are your friends ? " 
 
 " Cameron is playing chess with your 
 uncle ; the others are looking on, with a 
 certain amount of fear that my friend may 
 have the temerity to win and be promptly 
 executed for so doing." 
 
 " I don't think Bah Wah would do that. 
 It is possible, though that if he finds your 
 friend is a good chess-player he may refuse 
 to let him depart." 
 
 " Well, if Cameron has to remain, I shall 
 certainly not depart without him. Do you 
 not find life very dull here ? " 
 222 
 
Mali Noo 
 
 11 Painfully dull. The things which might 
 have amused me had 1 never been to 
 England I find very distasteful indeed. Do 
 you know, I was terribly disappointed when 
 I returned to Burma. During my absence I 
 thought of it as a perfect Elysium, for the im- 
 pressions of my early childhood, completely 
 happy as it was, were of the brightest ; but 
 when I returned and saw things with 
 European eyes the shock was awful. My 
 dear father was actuated by the best motives 
 when he sent me to England, but I fear 
 that my European education and ideas will 
 stand in the way of my happiness. If I were 
 living in Rangoon it would be different, but 
 here — oh, it is terrible ! " 
 
 "Miss Clarence is at Rangoon. We will 
 conduct you safely to her with the greatest 
 pleasure." 
 
 " It is very kind of you to offer, and I feel 
 very much inclined to avail myself of your 
 assistance." 
 
 " Why hesitate ? " 
 
 223 
 
The Dacotfs Treasure 
 
 " Because — because you are not travelling 
 towards Rangoon." 
 
 " But we shall be before very long. We 
 are going to the Sunrise Pagoda first. Do 
 you know it ? " 
 
 " Oh, yes, very well." 
 
 Then Murray told her of the phoongyees 
 treasure. She grew quite excited. 
 
 " The phoongyees story must be true," she 
 declared, "for Po Thaw has been searching 
 for a long time for the treasure of a notorious 
 bo who was supposed to have been killed 
 together with the whole of his band. Only 
 last week he sent out several parties to 
 thoroughly search the jungle in all direc- 
 tions. One party has gone to the neigh- 
 bourhood of the Sunrise Pagoda, so I am 
 afraid that before you reach your destina- 
 tion the treasure will be discovered and 
 removed." 
 
 224 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 A TRIAL BY ORDEAL 
 
 THE game of chess resulted in a victory 
 for Bah Wah, who was consequently 
 jubilant. Not because it was a novelty to 
 rise from the board a winner — as a matter of 
 fact, no one had hitherto had the audacity to 
 defeat him — but because he had had some 
 very grave doubts as to the advisability of 
 ordering the Englishman to be strangled if 
 he had the temerity to win. Mah Noo had 
 told her uncle many very wonderful things 
 about the power of England, and it was 
 beginning to dawn upon him that China, 
 Burma, and Russia were not, after all, the 
 three greatest nations in the world. There- 
 fore, he by no means relished the necessity 
 
 225 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 for killing the Englishman if he won. Had 
 his courtiers not been near him he would 
 have given Cameron a gentle hint that he 
 was not expected to win. To have done so 
 in their hearing would have been most un- 
 kingly, so for the first time in his life he 
 strained every nerve and won on his merits. 
 
 Cameron suggested another game. Bah 
 Wah discreetly replied that important State 
 affairs demanded his immediate attention, 
 and promptly departed. 
 
 Directly Cameron was disengaged, Murray 
 repeated to him what Mah Noo had said 
 about Po Thaw being in search of the hidden 
 treasure. 
 
 " Then we must hurry off at once and 
 remove it before he gets into the neighbour- 
 hood," Cameron said decisively. 
 
 "But how about Mah Noo?" Murray 
 asked quickly; "we can't possibly leave her 
 here." 
 
 " Why not? She doesn't appear to have 
 been badly treated." 
 
 226 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 "You know the reason — that scoundrel 
 Po Thaw wishes to marry her. She may 
 refuse to have anything to do with him, but 
 it will certainly be at her peril." 
 
 "You forget, my dear fellow, that she is a 
 Burmese girl and that her marriage with Po 
 Thaw would be considered by many of her 
 countrywomen an honour for her." 
 
 " Nonsense, Cameron ! You're letting your 
 tongue run away with you. No one but a 
 hopeless idiot would suggest that a girl of 
 Mah Noo's disposition and attainments could 
 contemplate being Po Thaw's wife with any- 
 thing but loathing. She hates the fiend, and 
 it is our duty to see that she is not persecuted 
 by him. For myself, I absolutely decline to 
 leave this village unless Mah Noo be with 
 us." 
 
 "And of course, sir, begging your pardon, 
 I'll do as you do," Johnson joined in ; " for I 
 shouldn't like any harm to come to the young 
 lady. I'd rather kill Po Thaw in cold blood 
 than let him marry her. If an Englishman, 
 
 227 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 now, were to marry her, I think she would 
 be happy." 
 
 Murray nodded his complete approval. 
 
 "So if we escort the lady back to Manda- 
 lay," Johnson continued, " she will be seen 
 by lots of Englishmen, and one of them will 
 possibly marry her." 
 
 Murray did not appear to consider that a 
 very delightful prospect. 
 
 " Well, what are you going to do, Came- 
 ron ? " he asked. 
 
 "Anything you like," Cameron replied; 
 "but I warn you that by taking Mah Noo 
 with us to the Sunrise Pagoda we shall be 
 making her run many risks. If we are 
 eventually captured by dacoits who do not 
 happen to know her, the fact of her being 
 with us will add to the cruelty of her 
 captors." 
 
 " Then let us hurry back with her to the 
 fort and leave her in Brown's charge." 
 
 " That means we shall have to give up all 
 thoughts of finding the treasure, at any rate 
 228 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 for some time, because it would be sheer 
 madness for us to attempt to pass through 
 Bah Wah's territory after rewarding him for 
 his hospitality by decamping with his niece." 
 
 " Then let us give up the treasure. What 
 is it compared with the life of a young 
 girl ? " 
 
 " Really, Murray, you talk as if Po Thaw 
 contemplated murdering Mah Noo, instead 
 of marrying her." 
 
 "At present he possibly has no intention 
 of murdering her, but when he finds that she 
 loathes him and will on no account marry 
 him, he'll have no scruples about murdering 
 her." 
 
 " Perhaps you're right. At any rate, I 
 repeat that I am quite ready to do whatever 
 you like in the matter." 
 
 "Then I'll speak to Mah Noo and arrange 
 for her abduction." 
 
 Tha Bu had been silently listening to the 
 conversation. Now he rose and said thought- 
 fully : " He is a wise man who knows the 
 229 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 use of opportune language and who can 
 discern a maiden worthy of his love.' 
 
 Then he walked slowly away. 
 
 Cameron laughed heartily. 
 
 " What did he mean, Murray ? " he asked. 
 
 "I'm bothered if I know," Murray an- 
 swered testily. M Why don't you ask him?" 
 
 For the first time since they quitted Ran- 
 goon the friends were annoyed with each 
 other. Cameron thought Murray absurdly 
 unreasonable, and Murray was convinced 
 that Cameron was abominably heartless. 
 Fortunately, they were not long permitted to 
 brood over their grievances. A large gong 
 was sounded, and the villagers hurriedly 
 assembled in front of Bah Wah's palace. 
 
 Tha Bu conveniently returned and ex- 
 plained that Bah Wah was about to sit in 
 judgment. So the Englishmen squatted 
 down in the front row to watch the pro- 
 ceedings. Bah Wah soon appeared. The 
 moment the people saw him they fell flat 
 on their faces and remained in that attitude 
 2^0 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 until he had mounted a gorgeous carved 
 seat placed under the palm-trees. Then a 
 gong was sounded and his subjects sat up. 
 Business commenced at once by several men 
 crawling on all fours to the royal judge and 
 handing up petitions, written on palm-leaves 
 with an iron style. With their petitions the 
 litigants also brought presents. If their 
 petitions were granted, Bah Wah accepted 
 the presents ; if they were not, he refused 
 them. The Englishmen soon noticed that 
 the petition of a man with a valuable pre- 
 sent was invariably granted. In disputed 
 cases plaintiff and defendant always brought 
 presents, and the man with the more 
 valuable gift nearly always won the day. 
 But on this occasion Bah Wah's judicial 
 ability was put to a severe test, for in one 
 case it was utterly impossible for him to 
 decide which was the more valuable present, 
 plaintiff's or defendant's. Pretending to be 
 deep in thought, he gazed solemnly at the 
 presents for some moments. With a deep- 
 231 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 drawn sigh, he decided at last to judge the 
 case on its merits. The " Keeper of the 
 Book of the Oath " immediately approached 
 the litigants, and placed on each man's head 
 a palm-leaf on which the oath was inscribed. 
 Then from a third leaf he read aloud, in a 
 sing-song voice, the following tremendous 
 oath, the men repeating it after him : — 
 
 " If I utter anything that is not true, .may 
 the all-knowing God, who has exercised all 
 and every virtue throughout the duration of 
 four hundred million one hundred thousand 
 worlds, and the nats and giants who guard 
 Him night and day, slay me. May the nats 
 who guard the eighty-four thousand sacred 
 writings slay me. May the nats who guard 
 the relics of the supreme god, consisting of 
 his forty teeth — four of them grinders — eight 
 thousand of his hairs, his cranium, his brow, 
 his cheek-bone, and his breast-bones, slay 
 me. May the nats who guard the eighty- 
 four thousand gilt pagodas slay me. May 
 the nats, dragons, and giants who guard the 
 232 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 islands, the rivers, the mountains, the forests, 
 the clouds, the winds, the sun and stars slay 
 me. May the eighty-four thousand giants 
 who guard the blessed seats kill and devour 
 me piecemeal. May the ends of my fingers 
 be cut off, may all my nerves be severed, 
 may I suffer from boils, cancer, leprosy, 
 ringworm, itch, scurvy, dysentery, cholera, 
 small-pox, fever, asthma, deafness, blindness, 
 lameness, and all kinds of shameful, putrid, 
 dirty, abominable and inflammatory com- 
 plaints and diseases. May I become a fool 
 and an idiot. May fire and smoke come out 
 of my mouth. May all sorts of elephants, 
 male and female, kill me in an instant. 
 May I be bitten and slain by tigers, snakes, 
 and other ferocious inhabitants of the jungle. 
 May I suddenly fall down dead. May the 
 earth open beneath my feet and swallow me. 
 May a thunderbolt from heaven kill me. If 
 I travel by water may the ship sink and I be 
 devoured by crocodiles and sharks. May I 
 incur the hatred of the king and his minis- 
 2 33 
 
The Dacoifs Treastwe 
 
 ters. May they, and everybody else, ill- 
 treat me and raise law-suits against me. 
 May I have calumniating enemies. May I 
 be separated from my friends and relations, 
 and be utterly miserable. May I be killed 
 with every kind of weapon that exists, and 
 as soon as I am dead may I be precipitated 
 into the one hundred and twenty-eight large 
 and small hells. May I fall feet upwards, 
 head downwards, and be tormented for an 
 immense time with fire and flame. And 
 after I have suffered there every species of 
 horrible torture, may I be changed into a 
 pig, a dog, or some vile insect. And if I 
 again become a man, may I be the slave of 
 other men, a thousand and ten thousand 
 times. And finally, may all my under- 
 takings, thoughts and desires remain for 
 ever as worthless as a heap of cotton 
 destroyed by fire." 
 
 One would imagine that no man after 
 taking such a stupendous oath would dare 
 to speak anything but the truth. It soon 
 2 34 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 became evident, however, that one of the 
 litigants was committing the grossest perjury. 
 They were small farmers, and one declared 
 that while he was praying at the pagoda the 
 other had stolen his bullock. The accused 
 indignantly denied the charge, and asserted 
 that he had had the bullock from its birth. 
 Witnesses were called by both sides, and, 
 after being sworn, flatly contradicted each 
 other without the slightest hesitation. Bah 
 Wah had not the faintest idea how to act. 
 His ministers dared not advise him without 
 being asked to do so, and he was in no 
 mood just then for consulting them. After 
 a long and painful silence Bah Wah appealed 
 to Cameron for advice. Cameron firmly but 
 politely declined to assist, and so did Murray 
 and Johnson. Tha Bu had plenty of advice 
 ready, but he was not consulted. Conse- 
 quently he muttered many uncomplimentary, 
 but obviously true remarks, concerning his 
 royal countryman's want of intelligence. 
 After making another endeavour to dis- 
 235 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 cover which of the men was committing 
 perjury, Bah Wah exclaimed loudly, " You 
 shall undergo a trial by ordeal." This 
 decision was received with pronounced satis- 
 faction by the on-lookers. Without a 
 moment's hesitation the litigants were 
 marched to a pond near by and compelled 
 to wade in until the water nearly reached 
 their chins. Then they were placed side 
 by side and a board put upon their heads. 
 At a sign from Bah Wah, the board was 
 pressed down by two officials, causing the 
 litigants immediately to disappear beneath 
 the water. The time they remained out of 
 sight appeared very long to the excited 
 crowd. No doubt it appeared still longer 
 to the men themselves. At last the man 
 who was accused of the theft came panting 
 and spluttering to the surface. He dashed 
 the water from his eyes and anxiously 
 looked round for his opponent. When he 
 found that he was still below water he 
 uttered a shriek of terror, scrambled to the 
 236 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 bank and tried to escape. But the minions 
 of the law rushed at him and promptly seized 
 him. At that moment the other man rose 
 to the surface, and, having remained under 
 water longer than his rival, was hailed as 
 the owner of the bullock. Consequently the 
 first man was considered a thief, and as he 
 already bore the words " cloth thief" tattooed 
 upon his chest, his fate was clear. The 
 spotted-face executioners seized him, and at 
 a sign from Bah Wah hacked off his left 
 arm. 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson did not 
 attempt to conceal their intense horror and 
 disgust at the barbarous act. Johnson 
 sprang to his feet and relieved his feelings 
 by shouting fiercely at Bah Wah, " You 
 miserable scoundrel ! For two pins I'd 
 wring your wretched neck." Fortunately, 
 Bah Wah did not understand a word of 
 English, so no harm was done. But it was 
 clear to him, nevertheless, that the English- 
 men were far from pleased with what they 
 237 15 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 had seen. So he avoided them and passed 
 at once in state to his palace. 
 
 It was soon evident that Bah Wah was 
 desirous of removing any bad impression he 
 had created, for an hour later he sent his 
 prime minister to invite them to visit his 
 white elephants. They were three in num- 
 ber, but, as Johnson declared, they were 
 no more white than Tha Bu was, their claim 
 to that distinction resting solely upon a few 
 greyish hairs which they possessed. As 
 white elephants rank next to royalty, each 
 animal was kept in an elaborately carved 
 teak house covered with gold leaf, and was 
 waited upon by several attendants — all men 
 of high rank. When they entered an ele- 
 phant's house they took off their shoes, and 
 when the animals went down to the lakelet 
 for their daily bath they held over them a 
 canopy of gold. As each elephant came out 
 of the water its feet were carefully washed in 
 a silver basin. Their food was kept in gold 
 and silver vessels. 
 
 238 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 When the Englishmen had politely ad- 
 mired the ponderous creatures, Bah Wah 
 drew Cameron aside and said — 
 
 " Hearken unto my words, for, though I 
 am the Lord of Many White Elephants and 
 the Arbiter of Existence, I am in need of 
 advice. My prime minister does not hasten 
 to obey my orders, nor does he think 
 the words I speak are always words of 
 wisdom. For many years he has carried 
 the flag of the God of Death, 1 but yet he 
 does not die. He fears me no more than 
 the little child who knows not my power, for 
 although he may offend me, I dare not kill 
 him. Ah, white stranger, you are surprised 
 that the Lord of the Heavenly Weapon 
 should be unable to kill any man he pleases. 
 I will explain. My prime minister was 
 formerly a servant of King Mindoon, whom 
 he managed, no doubt by witchcraft, to 
 please so well that the king gave him a 
 
 1 Carrying the flag of the God of Death is the Burmese 
 expression for having grey hair. 
 
 2 39 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 patent, guaranteeing that he should not be 
 put to death by certain methods which are 
 mentioned therein. These methods are 
 nearly two hundred in number, and there is 
 no way of killing a man known to me that is 
 not mentioned in that list. I have spent 
 many days and nights trying to invent some 
 new way of killing the old dog, but in vain. 
 Now, I know that the white lords are ac- 
 quainted with many things of which we are 
 ignorant, and perhaps the Great White Queen 
 has some method of killing her prime minister 
 when he displeases her which is unknown to 
 me, therefore I beg you to tell me how I 
 may rid myself of the man I hate." 
 
 " Can you show me the list of deaths by 
 which he may not die ? " Cameron asked. 
 
 " Yes, I carry a copy of it about with me. 
 Here it is." 
 
 Cameron perused the document. It was 
 a lengthy one, and contained almost every 
 kind of death imaginable — indeed, every kind 
 of death known to the Burmese. 
 240 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 Bah Wah watched Cameron eagerly while 
 he read it. When he had finished he asked 
 anxiously, " Do you know any method not 
 mentioned there ? " 
 
 " I do," Cameron declared, returning the 
 document. 
 
 Bah Wah's face beamed with delight. 
 
 " Tell me quickly, then, what it is," he 
 said, "so that the old dog may die before 
 sunset." 
 
 " Englishmen do not kill men who have 
 done them no harm. Your prime minister 
 is no enemy of mine." 
 
 " But I do not ask you to kill him. Let 
 me know how he can die, and I have but to 
 speak and he dies." 
 
 " I must consult my countrymen first, for 
 the taking of a life is a serious matter to us. 
 
 " Tell me in a few hours, then." 
 
 "In three days you shall know our 
 answer." 
 
 "It is a very long time. The old dog 
 may die before then." 
 241 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 "In that case you will be spared the 
 trouble and sin of killing him." 
 
 " But I want to kill him. His death will 
 be sweeter to me than the deaths of one 
 hundred other men. I beseech you, there- 
 fore, to tell me your answer to-morrow." 
 
 " I have already told you that you shall 
 have it in three days," Cameron said 
 sternly * whereupon Bah Wah departed in 
 a huff. 
 
 As the Englishmen returned to their 
 quarters, Cameron told Murray of Bah Wah's 
 great desire. They discussed it for some 
 little time and finally came to the conclusion 
 that with somejudicious threats they might 
 easily make the prime minister a very useful 
 ally. So they sent Tha Bu to bring him to 
 them with as much secrecy as possible. In 
 a very short time the prime minister arrived. 
 There was nothing at all imposing about him 
 just then, for his lungyi and turban were not 
 particularly brilliant, and he was not wearing 
 the usual gorgeous waistcoat. His jacket 
 
 242 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 was open, showing his bare breast, which 
 was covered with knobs of various sizes and 
 shapes, caused by the rubies, sapphires, and 
 pieces of ivory which were buried under the 
 skin as charms against wounds. 
 
 " Your life is in danger," Cameron said to 
 him solemnly. 
 
 The prime minister smiled incredulously. 
 
 11 But it is in our power to save you from 
 those who would kill you." 
 
 "The white lords are good to warn me," 
 the prime minister declared ; " but who are 
 the enemies that seek my life ? Are they 
 white men ? " 
 
 " No. It is a Burman who is planning 
 your death." 
 
 " You speak of the ' Lord of the Life and 
 Property of his subjects,' I suppose," the 
 minister said with a smile ; " but I fear him 
 not. I bear on my breast many charms 
 against wounds, but the protection they afford 
 is small compared with that which a patent 
 of King Mindoon grants me. In the face of 
 243 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 that, no member of the Royal House, were 
 he even as powerful as the mighty Alompra, 
 dare kill me." 
 
 " Bah Wah has shown me a copy of the 
 patent," Cameron said, "and has asked me 
 if there are any ways of taking life known to 
 Englishmen not mentioned therein." 
 
 " And what did the white lord reply ? " the 
 prime minister asked curiously. 
 
 " I replied that there were." 
 
 The Burman puffed nervously at his 
 cheroot for a few moments, and then said 
 sadly — 
 
 "What harm have I done to the white 
 lord that he should place my life in the 
 hands of my enemy ? I have always been 
 a friend of the English, and it is because I 
 hate their great enemy, the bloody Po Thaw, 
 that Bah Wah, who fears the bo, seeks to 
 kill me." 
 
 "At present," Cameron said, " I have not 
 told Bah Wah how he may lawfully kill you, 
 but unless you promise to help my friends 
 244 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 and me to escape with Mah Noo, I shall 
 do so." 
 
 " I will promise that with pleasure, for 
 Mah Noo is the child of one who in the 
 good never-to-be-forgotten days of King 
 Mindoon was my greatest friend. I said to 
 Bah Wah that it was not a meritorious act 
 to make the child of his noble brother marry 
 such a pariah as Po Thaw, but he would 
 not hearken to my words. When do the 
 white lords think it will be well to leave this 
 place ? " 
 
 "The sooner the better." 
 
 " The day after to-morrow, then, will be a 
 good day, for all the people in the village 
 are going to the river to see a boat-race. I 
 will make all preparations, and come again 
 to-morrow after sunset to see the white 
 lords." 
 
 " Very good, but remember that if I see 
 the slightest sign of hesitation or treachery 
 on your part I will tell Bah Wah at once how 
 he may lawfully kill you." 
 245 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 " My lord," the prime minister said with 
 dignity, "the name of Po Se has never been 
 connected with treachery, and never shall 
 be." 
 
 "Sir," said Tha Bu to Cameron, "the 
 words my countryman speaks are pleasing 
 to the ears, but still one should not trust 
 implicitly even a friend, for when a friend 
 is angry with you he becomes, being pos- 
 sessed of your secrets, the most dangerous 
 of enemies. With your permission, sir, I 
 will administer an oath of fealty to him." 
 
 Cameron nodded assent, whereupon Tha 
 Bu ostentatiously took a piece of paper from 
 his jacket pocket and wrote in the vernacular 
 the following oath : — 
 
 "I, Po Se, solemnly declare that I will 
 faithfully serve and carry out the wishes of 
 Sydney Cameron, Esquire, servant of Her 
 Majesty Queen Victoria, Empress of India, 
 ruler of many great lands, conqueror of 
 mighty kings, owner of numberless elephants, 
 ruler of the seas and possessor of thousands 
 246 
 
A Trial by Ordeal 
 
 of fire-boats. If I break the oath which 
 I now consummate by drinking water in 
 which swords, spears, and guns, have been 
 dipped, may I die by these weapons." 
 
 Standing in front of an image of Gautama, 
 Po Se read aloud what Tha Bu had written. 
 Then he burned the paper, placed the ashes 
 in a small mug of water, stirred them up 
 with little wooden models of swords, spears, 
 and guns, and finally drank the concoction. 
 
 J 47 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 EDITH CLARENCE 
 
 EARLY the following morning Murray 
 and Cameron obtained an interview 
 with Mah Noo. She was delighted when 
 told of their arrangement with Po Se, and 
 eagerly discussed with them their chances 
 of reaching the English fort in safety. 
 Then she related many amusing incidents 
 she had witnessed during her enforced resi- 
 dence in Bah Wah's little kingdom, and 
 consequently the time passed quickly and 
 pleasantly away. The two Englishmen 
 were very comfortable, and had no desire 
 to leave the cool, shady balcony for the 
 scorching open. But suddenly all three 
 were startled by the sound of a noisy mob 
 248 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 approaching. Mah Noo sprang to her feet 
 in terror. 
 
 "It is Po Thaw returning," she declared 
 excitedly. 
 
 Cameron and Murray instinctively grasped 
 their revolvers. 
 
 " Hurry down the steps, run across the 
 compound, and hide in the jungle," Mah 
 Noo continued. 
 
 "Lead the way," Murray said quietly; 
 "for unless you accompany us, we will 
 remain here." 
 
 " It would be foolish for me to go," Mah 
 Noo declared, "for Po Thaw would be on 
 our track immediately he discovered I was 
 missing. I will remain, and will tell the 
 people that no one is to mention your visit. 
 And every day I will send food to you 
 in the jungle." 
 
 " I shall remain here," Murray declared 
 decisively. 
 
 "And I, too," said Cameron. 
 
 " But Po Thaw will kill you if you do," 
 249 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Mah Noo protested, with great agitation. 
 "He has threatened you with fearful deaths. 
 Oh, do please go and hide in the jungle ! " 
 
 Murray did not move a step, but critically 
 examined his revolver. Cameron surveyed 
 the approaching crowd through his field- 
 glass. Presently he exclaimed in a tone of 
 relief, " Po Thaw is not with that party." 
 
 "Are you certain that he is not on that 
 bullock-cart ? " Murray asked anxiously. 
 "The village people have evidently some 
 reason for being deeply interested in it. 
 Look how they are crowding round the 
 lumbering thing." 
 
 Cameron again surveyed the advancing 
 crowd, and a moment or two later hurriedly 
 passed the field-glass to Murray, saying- 
 excitedly, " Look at the bullock-cart, 
 quickly ! " 
 
 Murray did so. "Good gracious!" he 
 exclaimed, " there's a white woman in it." 
 
 Mah Noo, on hearing the surprising news, 
 jumped up from her seat, picked up her 
 
 250 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 native parasol, and said eagerly, " Let us 
 run to meet her then. Some misfortune 
 must have befallen her, or she would not 
 be in this part of the country." 
 
 Mah Noo and the two Englishmen hurried 
 quickly towards the stranger. As they 
 approached the bullock-cart the villagers 
 made way for them, and as they did so, a 
 cry of surprise escaped from Cameron and 
 Mah Noo, for the new arrival was Edith 
 Clarence. 
 
 "Edith! Edith! This is a pleasure," 
 Mah Noo called out delightedly, forgetting 
 that her friend was assuredly a prisoner. 
 
 Edith Clarence was the picture of dejec- 
 tion when her friends first caught sight of 
 her, but when she heard Mah Noo's voice 
 she brightened up at once, and, slipping out 
 of the bullock-cart, ran to meet her old 
 schoolfellow. The girls greeted each other 
 warmly, but before they had time to ask 
 any questions the men who had been Edith's 
 escort — and a villainous-looking lot they 
 251 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 were — roughly separated them. One man 
 seized hold of Edith's arm, and commenced 
 to pull her back to the cart, but Mah Noo 
 picked up a small bamboo cane and struck 
 him smartly across the face. With a howl 
 of rage the man released his hold, and 
 seizing his dah rushed savagely at Mah 
 Noo, who would undoubtedly have been 
 killed had not Murray sprang forward and 
 dealt the fellow such a terrific blow that 
 he staggered back, yelling with pain. 
 Another rascal who drew his dah was 
 struck to the ground by Cameron. 
 
 u You dogs ! " Mah Noo exclaimed to 
 the now thoroughly cowed men. " How 
 dare you treat a friend of mine in that 
 fashion ? " 
 
 " Po Thaw said we were not to let any- 
 body speak to her until we delivered her 
 into Bah Wah's hands," one of the men 
 muttered surlily. 
 
 " Do not tell me what that base-born 
 rascal Po Thaw said. I am a descendant 
 252 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 of the warrior Alompra, and the words of 
 a thieving coward are beneath my notice." 
 
 Bah Wah, hearing the excitement, came 
 hurrying towards them in a very flurried 
 and unkingly manner. When he saw Edith 
 he looked very surprised, and, turning 
 angrily to the chief man of the escort, 
 asked, " From whence have you brought 
 this white woman ? Tell me quickly, for 
 the white lords and their women are no 
 enemies of mine." 
 
 "My lord," the man replied, " Po Thaw, 
 who fears neither man nor demon, said unto 
 me, ' Take this white woman to Bah Wah, 
 and tell him to guard her safely, for she will 
 be a companion for Mah Noo, and both shall 
 be my wives.' " 
 
 Cameron glanced at Edith, half fearing 
 that she might have understood the rascal's 
 words. She had not, however, but the agony 
 of mind she had undergone, and the joy of 
 seeing friends again, proved too much for 
 her, and she fainted. Cameron caught her 
 2 53 -o 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 as she fell, and carried her into the shade of 
 some trees. Murray ran to the nearest hut 
 for some water. 
 
 " Is the white woman dead ? " the chief of 
 the escort asked anxiously, knowing that his 
 life would be the penalty if she were. 
 
 "No, dog, she is not," Bah Wah replied 
 sharply. "Go back to your master, and tell 
 him that his words have reached the Golden 
 Ears. The white woman shall be taken care 
 of." 
 
 The men needed no second bidding to 
 depart, and disappeared quickly into the 
 jungle. 
 
 Cameron soon managed to bring Edith 
 round. She laughed at her weakness, and 
 thanked Cameron warmly for his attention. 
 
 "If you feel quite better, dear, perhaps 
 you will tell us how you fell into the dacoits' 
 hands," Mah Noo said to Edith a few 
 minutes later, when Bah Wah had left them. 
 
 "Certainly," Edith replied; "I'll tell you 
 at once. About a fortnight ago I left 
 254 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 Mandalay in a steamer to go up to my father 
 at Bhamo, but unfortunately the steamer ran 
 aground, and as there was no prospect of its 
 being got off for some hours a few of the 
 passengers went ashore to pick flowers. I 
 caught two or three splendid butterflies, and 
 in my anxiety to catch a beautiful specimen 
 I got separated from the rest of the party. 
 While putting the butterfly in my collecting 
 box I was seized from behind, and a cloth 
 stuffed into my mouth. I tried to scream, 
 but could not utter a sound. I struggled 
 wildly to free myself from the man's grasp, 
 for the glimpse I caught of him proved to 
 me that he was a dacoit. He uttered a cry 
 resembling a jackal's, and in a few moments 
 four or five of his comrades appeared. They 
 bound one of their turbans over my eyes, 
 and, lifting me in their arms, carried me 
 quickly away. I swooned, and when I 
 recovered consciousness I was lying on a 
 bullock-cart and surrounded by the men you 
 saw just now. They appeared delighted at 
 257 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 my recovery, which made me think they had 
 no intention of ill-treating" me. The follow- 
 ing day I was taken into the presence of 
 Po Thaw. When he told me who he was — 
 he spoke fairly good English — I, foolishly, 
 perhaps, called him a cowardly murderer. 
 He laughed, and then declared that when he 
 had driven the English out of the country 
 he would make me one of his wives. At the 
 time that threat did not frighten me at all, 
 but when, day after day, I was hurried 
 through the jungle without seeing a soul but 
 my guard, I began to fear that I was being 
 taken to some spot where, even if Po Thaw 
 were captured, I might remain for years 
 unheard of by Europeans. And now, to my 
 delight, I find myself among friends. I 
 really can't understand it. Was the man I 
 saw not Po Thaw after all, but some loyal 
 Burman, playing a practical joke, or — but I 
 can scarcely think that — are you on friendly 
 terms with Po Thaw ? " 
 
 " The man you saw was, undoubtedly, Po 
 258 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 Thaw," Mah Noo replied; "but instead of 
 our being on friendly terms with him we all 
 cordially detest him. I, too, am a prisoner, 
 and destined, like you, to become one of his 
 wives." 
 
 "That you shall never be," Murray de- 
 clared emphatically. " Cameron and I in- 
 tend to upset Po Thaw's arrangements, and, 
 if all goes well, in a few days you and Miss 
 Clarence will be safe in an English fort." 
 
 "If Bah Wah hears of your intention to 
 set us free, he will certainly kill you," Mah 
 Noo declared; "for Po Thaw only allows 
 him to reign over his miniature kingdom on 
 condition that I am not allowed to escape. 
 Bah Wah is not a particularly hard-hearted 
 man, and, in a way, is fond of me. But he 
 loves to delude himself with the belief that 
 he is a king, and, if necessary, would un- 
 hesitatingly sacrifice my happiness or life to 
 retain his trifling power." 
 
 "We shall take very good care that he 
 does not hear of our intention," Murray 
 2 59 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 said, "and one fine day he will discover 
 that you have flown. But we had better 
 move away from you now, for I see that Bah 
 Wah is watching us. It will never do to 
 arouse his suspicions." 
 
 Murray and Cameron sauntered away to 
 their quarters. After sunset Po Se paid a 
 visit to them. He came secretly, and re- 
 mained but a few minutes. 
 
 " I have arranged everything," he said. 
 " Bah Wah will go to the boat-race on his 
 state elephant, and the ladies will also have 
 a royal animal. Another elephant has been 
 set aside for the white lords. All the 
 elephants are fleet of foot, and when the 
 boat-race is finished the white lords or the 
 ladies must suggest an elephant race. I will 
 administer a sure and speedy poison to 
 Bah Wah's elephant so that it will not run 
 many yards. The white lords must urge on 
 their elephant, and the ladies must strive to 
 be the winners. In a short time the white 
 lords and the two sweet flowers of this village 
 260 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 will be alone. The speed of the elephants 
 must not be slackened until they have gone 
 many miles. Ponies will be awaiting you 
 at a certain place to be arranged to-morrow. 
 Now I must depart, for the things that I do 
 are watched and straightway discussed in the 
 presence of Bah Wah." . 
 
 But before Po Se departed he said apolo- 
 getically, "The white lords will not, I trust, 
 break the promise they made to me concern- 
 ing the vile intentions of Bah Wah ? " 
 
 "You should know, at your age, that an 
 Englishman does not break his promise," 
 Cameron replied sharply; "but for your 
 satisfaction I tell you that for all the wealth 
 in Burma we would not now instruct Bah 
 Wah how he may kill you. Nor would all 
 the tortures he can imagine be sufficient to 
 wring the secret from us." 
 
 Po Se expressed his complete satisfaction, 
 
 and departed hurriedly. The Englishmen 
 
 made themselves comfortable for the night. 
 
 But about half-past one they awoke with a 
 
 261 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 start. The village was in a state of uproar. 
 They seized their revolvers and dashed out 
 of their hut, with the intention of running to 
 the protection of the ladies. But they 
 stopped short on the threshold to gaze at 
 the novel scene. Every house was lighted 
 up with lamps, and on the roof of each sat 
 one or two men energetically beating drums, 
 blowing trumpets, or thrashing the thatch 
 with big sticks. On the ground, men, women, 
 and children of all ages were making the 
 night hideous with discordant musical instru- 
 ments. Such as were not fortunate enough 
 to possess a drum, a trumpet, a clapper, or 
 other recognised musical instrument, banged 
 gongs or tin pots to the accompaniment 
 of blood-curdling screams. Every man, 
 woman, and child appeared to have gone 
 raving mad. 
 
 "Where's Tha Bu?" Cameron asked 
 Johnson. 
 
 Johnson pointed to a neighbouring hut. 
 Tha Bu and Mah Shway O were on the 
 262 
 
Edith Clarence 
 
 roof of it, vigorously beating the thatch, 
 and yelling at the top of their voices. 
 
 Cameron shouted to Tha Bu, who left 
 his occupation with great reluctance. 
 
 " What's the matter ? " Cameron asked. 
 
 " Cholera, sir. Two women have died," 
 Tha Bu answered. 
 
 " But what are you all making this vile 
 noise for ? " 
 
 " To frighten away the evil spirit who 
 caused the cholera," and, without waiting 
 to be asked any more questions, Tha Bu 
 scrambled on to the roof and continued his 
 energetic contribution to the public discord. 
 
 The Englishmen hurried to Bah Wah's 
 palace. His Majesty was sitting on the roof, 
 beating a drum and screaming hideously. 
 
 Mah Noo and Edith Clarence were on 
 the verandah, watching the excitement with 
 considerable amusement. Mah Noo had 
 explained to Edith what the cause of it 
 was. 
 
 "They'll repeat this for the next three 
 263 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 or four nights," Mah Noo said to Cameron 
 and Murray, after a few moments' con- 
 versation. 
 
 11 Thank goodness we sha'n't hear the 
 noise," Cameron said, and immediately told 
 the ladies of the arrangements for the 
 morrow. They discussed the matter for 
 some twenty minutes. Then Mah Noo 
 declared that sleep would be the best 
 preparation for the events of the following 
 day, so they said good-night and parted in 
 high spirits. In spite of the unearthly din, 
 which continued until nearly daybreak, they 
 managed to sleep soundly, and woke con- 
 siderably refreshed. When they looked out 
 they saw that the roof of nearly every hut 
 was smashed in, the result of the previous 
 night's excitement. But for once jn a way 
 the village folk worked hard, all being 
 anxious to get their huts repaired before 
 starting off to see the great inter-village 
 boat-race. 
 
 264 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 FLIGHT AND CAPTURE 
 
 WHEN the necessary task of repairing 
 the half-demolished huts was com- 
 pleted, the villagers hurried indoors to don 
 their holiday attire. The men soon came 
 out, resplendent in brilliant lungyis and 
 gorgeous turbans. The women, a little 
 later, appeared in tasteful flowered skirts, 
 and bedecked with everything they pos- 
 sessed, or could borrow, in the way of 
 bracelets, anklets and rings. Even the 
 little children, who usually ran naked, 
 wore, in honour of the occasion, at least 
 one bracelet or anklet. 
 
 In a short time all the inhabitants were 
 making their way to the river. Bah Wah 
 265 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Mah Noo, and Edith Clarence departed 
 on royal elephants. Po Se followed them, 
 riding on the shoulders of a sturdy slave 
 — his favourite mode of travelling. An 
 elephant was then placed at the English- 
 men's disposal. The mahout salaamed, and, 
 after an anxious glance around, said, in an 
 undertone, to Cameron: "My lord, I am 
 the trusted servant of the wise and all- 
 powerful minister, Po Se. He has given 
 me my instructions, which I will faithfully 
 carry out." 
 
 Then Tha Bu, who was remaining behind 
 on the plea that his wife was unwell, 
 approached them, primed with some parting 
 advice. "In the presence of pleasing 
 women the tongue is unloosed," he said 
 gravely. "Therefore, sirs, I advise you 
 before speaking to see who is near you. 
 Act like a hunter who, traversing the 
 jungle and fearful of danger, looks first 
 on one side and then on the other." 
 
 " We will remember your advice and be 
 266 
 
Flight mid Capture 
 
 very careful," Cameron replied ; whereupon 
 Tha Bu returned to his hut, swelling with 
 importance. 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson, without 
 any further delay, took their seats in the 
 kowdak, and joined the procession of 
 elephants, bullock-carts, and pedestrians 
 proceeding to the river. It was a very 
 happy crowd. The dreaded cholera was 
 for the time completely forgotten, and every 
 man, woman, and child appeared determined 
 to get all the enjoyment possible from the 
 outing. Some had musical instruments, 
 which they played energetically, and others 
 sang. But the majority amused them- 
 selves by playfully chaffing each other, and 
 laughing heartily at every untoward event. 
 If a bullock suddenly stopped short, and, 
 in spite of the prodding of the driver, 
 refused to budge an inch, the occupants 
 of the other carts considered it an excellent 
 joke. If a cart-wheel went over anyone's 
 foot they screamed with delight ; and when 
 267 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 a man accidently cut himself with a dah, 
 they roared with laughter. 
 
 " I can't see anything to laugh at in that," 
 observed Murray, in a tone of disgust. 
 
 "They are a very unsympathetic people," 
 Cameron replied. "A Burman rarely shows 
 sympathy, and never expects any." 
 
 "And yet," said Murray, "they are most 
 hospitable. How do you account for that? " 
 
 " I can't account for it, my dear fellow ; 
 but the fact remains that they are terribly 
 callous." 
 
 After a quarter of an hour's ride the 
 Englishmen arrived at the river, the banks 
 of which were crowded with sightseers. 
 Murray was anxious to know where they 
 all came from. 
 
 " Some of them have probably come fifty 
 or a hundred miles solely to see the race," 
 Cameron declared. " The interest these 
 up-country people take in boat-races is 
 marvellous," he continued, "and the com- 
 petition among the youths anxious to row 
 268 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 in the village boat is very great. The crew 
 is chosen by veterans who have themselves 
 rowed in inter-village races. Bah Wah's 
 crew, I understand, is a very good one, and 
 is expected to win easily. By the by, that 
 boat moored in the middle of the river is 
 the winning-post. You notice that bamboo 
 placed across its bowsprit? Inside it, and 
 projecting at each end, there is a thin ratan ; 
 and it is the duty of the foremost man in 
 each boat to try to pull the ratan out before 
 his opponent can do so. The crew which 
 secures the ratan are the winners of the race. 
 Sometimes this rule gives rise to comical 
 scenes. A man in each boat will seize the 
 ratan at the same moment, with the result 
 that each is pulled overboard and the boats 
 capsized." 
 
 At that moment Johnson, who had been 
 anxiously gazing up the river, exclaimed 
 excitedly, " They're off, sir ! " 
 
 The boats were certainly approaching, 
 but the race had not commenced. " They 
 269 
 
# 
 
 The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 are having a preliminary row over the 
 course," Cameron explained, "to appease 
 the nats of the river. In the prows you 
 will see offerings of rice, fruit, and flowers, 
 with which they hope to propitiate the 
 dreaded demons. The people firmly believe 
 that if they neglected the preliminary row 
 the nats would show their displeasure by 
 upsetting the boats and drowning the rowers." 
 
 In a few moments the boats passed. 
 Each crew consisted of twenty men, who, 
 as they rowed, sang a by no means un- 
 melodious patriotic song, which lauded 
 Burma, and all appertaining to it, in 
 most extravagant terms. 
 
 The preliminary row concluded, the race 
 commenced. As the boats approached the 
 end of the course the shouts of encourage- 
 ment and yells of delight of the excited 
 partisans were simply deafening. Every 
 man, woman, and child shouted at the top 
 of his or her voice. And there was cer- 
 tainly cause for excitement, for the- boats 
 270 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 were nearly level. Then, with a sudden 
 spurt, the boat representing Bah Wah's 
 village drew away from its rival, who 
 tried to respond, but in vain. The crew 
 rowed well to the last ; but in spite of all 
 their exertions Bah Wah's men won, amidst 
 great excitement, by a little more than a 
 boat's length. As the cane was drawn from 
 the bowsprit and waved aloft in triumph, 
 some of the winning crew jumped up and 
 danced for joy in their boat. The next 
 moment the victorious oarsmen were 
 struggling for life in the water. The 
 crowd laughed heartily ; and, instead of 
 going -to their assistance, they — being, like 
 all Burmans, incorrigible gamblers — began 
 callously to make bets as to the number 
 who would be drowned or seized by 
 crocodiles. As it happened, only one 
 poor fellow perished. The Englishmen 
 were not aware of his death until some 
 time after, and it never occurred to them 
 at the time that, with so many people 
 271 17 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 close at hand, the oarsmen could be in 
 danger. The other members of the crew, 
 swimming dog-fashion, safely reached the 
 bank, where they were quickly surrounded, 
 and congratulated warmly, by the very 
 friends who had a minute previously 
 watched their frantic struggles for life 
 without moving a hand in their behalf. 
 Even Bah Wah graciously smiled upon 
 them, and, in an unprecedented fit of 
 generosity, presented each with a new 
 turban. 
 
 The Englishmen now approached Bah 
 Wah and the ladies, and were welcomed 
 
 cordially. Johnson, with considerable 
 
 * 
 
 thoughtfulness, immediately engaged Bah 
 Wah in conversation, leaving Cameron and 
 Murray to devote themselves to Edith and 
 Mah Noo. Bah Wah could not understand 
 a word of Johnson's newly-acquired Burmese, 
 but, being in a good humour, pretended that 
 he did. Occasionally he made some remark, 
 and Johnson in turn looked as if he quite 
 
 272 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 agreed with what the great man said. But 
 a conversation carried on under such circum- 
 stances must, after a time, begin to flag. 
 Johnson was quite aware of that, and was 
 considerably relieved when Po Se came 
 towards them, bringing with him a young 
 girl, half Burmese, half Hindoo. 
 
 "This girl," Po Se said to Bah Wah, 
 " begs to be allowed to perform, before the 
 Lord of Many White Elephants and the 
 white strangers, her wondrous egg-dance." 
 
 Mah Noo heard what was said. "We 
 should all very much like to witness it," she 
 declared ; and, without waiting for Bah Wah's 
 consent, Po Se commanded the girl to com- 
 mence her performance. 
 
 Bah Wah was terribly indignant, and 
 drawing Cameron aside said to him eagerly, 
 "Tell me now, I beseech you, how I may 
 kill that presumptuous dog Po Se. My heart 
 is very sick because he still lives. Have pity 
 on me. Let me kill him at once and be 
 happy." 
 
 2 73 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Cameron was very annoyed at his tUe-a-tete 
 with Edith Clarence being interrupted, and 
 he replied angrily, " I shall do nothing of 
 the kind. If you ask me in two days I will, 
 as I promised, let you know whether or not 
 we can assist you." 
 
 Bah Wah uttered a grunt of annoyance, 
 savagely kicked a servile courtier who hap- 
 pened to be handy, and turned his attention 
 to the dancing-girl. She advanced, and 
 handed to Bah Wah the articles she would 
 use in her dance. They consisted of a basket 
 containing twenty fowls' eggs, and a brass 
 head-band to wjiich were fastened, at equal 
 distances, twenty pieces of string. The 
 strings were all of the same length, and each 
 had a noose at the end. 
 
 After the articles had been examined by 
 Bah Wah and the Englishmen, the girl fixed 
 the brass band on her head and drew, on the 
 ground, a ring about eighteen inches in 
 diameter. Standing in this ring she began 
 to turn round and round, increasing her 
 274 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 speed every moment until it made the on- 
 lookers dizzy, and the strings from the head- 
 band formed a horizontal circle. Without 
 slackening in the slightest degree her gyra- 
 tions, she pulled down one of the strings, 
 fixed an egg in the noose, and jerked it back 
 again into position. Noose after noose she 
 filled in this manner, until she had twenty 
 eggs spinning in a circle round her head. 
 For two or three minutes she spun round and 
 round at a speed that was simply marvellous. 
 Then she caught hold of the strings one by 
 one, took the eggs from the nooses, and 
 replaced them in the basket. A moment 
 after replacing the last one she stopped 
 suddenly and stood as motionless as a statue. 
 So clever was the performance that the 
 Englishmen could not restrain their applause, 
 nor withhold a generous reward. 
 
 A few minutes later the journey home was 
 
 commenced. For a short time Bah Wah 
 
 and his English companions discussed the 
 
 boat-race. Then Mah Noo began to talk 
 
 275 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 about the elephant she was riding. She 
 declared that she knew the good points of 
 an elephant, and that hers was undoubtedly 
 the fastest runner of the three. Murray did 
 not agree with her. He expressed an opinion 
 that the elephants on which he, Cameron, 
 and Johnson were seated, were far superior 
 animals in point of speed. 
 
 "There is only one way of deciding the 
 question," said Mah Noo. " We must have 
 a race." 
 
 " I should like it immensely," Murray de- 
 clared. 
 
 Bah Wah, once more in a good humour, 
 readily gave his consent to the race being 
 run there and then. They had arrived 
 at a wide track which continued right 
 into the village. The two huge animals 
 were placed side by side. Bah Wah struck 
 a gong, and the race commenced. The 
 people dashed after the two elephants ; but 
 Po Se, again mounted on his slave, inter- 
 cepted them. 
 
 276 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 " Back ! back ! " he shouted fiercely. 
 " Have you forgotten the respect due to the 
 King of Umbrella-bearing Chiefs that you 
 dare to rush before him ? Back, this moment, 
 or your flesh shall be food for the birds of 
 the air." 
 
 The crowd slunk back at once. Bah Wah 
 heard his prime minister's words, but they 
 did not please him ; they clearly proved to 
 him that although his people had dared to 
 treat him with disrespect, they feared to dis- 
 obey his prime minister. He was, however, 
 too interested in the elephant-race to worry 
 himself about that at present. But a great 
 surprise was in store for him. His elephant, 
 which was usually much more fleet of foot 
 than either of the contending animals, ap- 
 peared to be exceedingly lazy. The mahout, 
 sorely puzzled, and dreading Bah Wah's 
 displeasure, did his utmost to accelerate his 
 speed, but without success. Finally, the 
 elephant tried to leave the track and enter 
 the jungle. 
 
 -77 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 "The noble elephant is ill, my lord," one 
 of Bah Wah's favourites declared. "He 
 wishes to go into the jungle to die in 
 solitude." 
 
 Other men confirmed this statement ; so 
 Bah Wah dismounted, and as no other 
 elephants were to be had, he took a seat 
 in a fairly comfortable bullock-cart. But he 
 saw no more of the race. The fugitives 
 were out of sight. 
 
 11 There is not a soul to be seen now," 
 Murray exclaimed, looking back along the 
 track which they had just travelled. " Po 
 Se has evidently done his work well." 
 
 "What did he give the elephant?" 
 Cameron asked. 
 
 " I saw him feeding it with some sugar- 
 cane while we were watching the egg-dance, 
 but I haven't the faintest idea of what was 
 in it. 
 
 Nothing more was said for some time. 
 The elephants went lumbering along at a 
 pace which certainly surprised the occupants 
 278 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 of the hoivdahs. The village was reached 
 in wonderfully quick time, but the place was 
 deserted, and there was nothing to impede 
 the progress of the huge animals. Through 
 the village they went, past the kyoung on its 
 outskirts, and out into another track which 
 they traversed until the jungle became too 
 dense. Then the riders dismounted quickly, 
 and, led by Cameron, hurried to an old 
 pagoda. There they found an ancient Bur- 
 man, toothless, wrinkled and bent, peacefully 
 smoking his cheroot. 
 
 " Have you carried out the instructions of 
 Po Se ? " Cameron asked him sharply. 
 
 "My lord, I have," he replied. " Follow 
 me, and you will see that I have done all 
 that was required of me." 
 
 The old man led them to an open space 
 near by, and pointed to five sturdy Burmese 
 ponies tied to the trees. Native saddles 
 were on all of them, but two had been 
 adapted for ladies' use. 
 
 In a minute or so the fugitives were 
 279 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 mounted, and riding quickly in single file 
 along the narrow jungle path. 
 
 Just as the sun was setting they arrived at 
 the rest-house where they had arranged to 
 meet Tha Bu. 
 
 The worthy Burman was anxiously await- 
 ing them. He led them at once to the ruins 
 of a large pagoda, which he had hastily pre- 
 pared for their accommodation, a small shrine 
 having been set apart and arranged by Mah 
 Shway O for the ladies. 
 
 Johnson saw to the ponies, and then 
 helped Mah Shway O to prepare the tea. 
 A huge fallen image of Gautama made an 
 excellent table, and smaller ones were utilised 
 as seats. The meal was by no means sump- 
 tuous, consisting only of tea, stale biscuits, 
 and jam. Nevertheless, they enjoyed it, and 
 for nearly two hours they sat there, after the 
 sun had gone down, talking of their adven- 
 tures in the past and their plans for the 
 future. They might have talked the night 
 through had not Cameron reminded them 
 280 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 that they were still in danger, and that as 
 they would have to make an early start in 
 the morning, and be prepared for any emer- 
 gency, they had better get a good rest while 
 they had the chance. 
 
 Mah Noo rose at once, "Come along, 
 Edith," she said, " Mr. Cameron is quite 
 right. We ought to have been asleep an 
 hour ago." And with a laughing "Good- 
 night," the two friends made their way 
 to the shrine which had been prepared for 
 them. 
 
 They were both very tired, and Edith was 
 soon asleep. But Mah Noo, weary though 
 she was, had no notion of sleeping until she 
 had satisfied her curiosity on a matter of 
 absorbing interest, concerning which she had 
 been all day longing for an opportunity to 
 question her friend. 
 
 " Edith ! " she whispered ; and, receiving 
 no answer from her sleepy companion, she 
 repeated loudly, " Edith Clarence ! " 
 
 Edith sat up startled, and only half awake. 
 281 
 
The Dacoit's Treastcre 
 
 "What is it?" she cried, " Po Thaw! 
 Oh ! — where is he ? Help ! Mr. Cameron ! " 
 
 Mah Noo laughed unfeelingly, and, putting 
 her hand over her friend's mouth, made her 
 lie down. " Don't be silly," she said. " I 
 am sorry I frightened you, but — you are in 
 love with Mr. Cameron, then ? " 
 
 "Why — how — why do you think so?" 
 stammered Edith confusedly. 
 
 "Oh!" replied Mah Noo, "instinct, I 
 suppose, my dear Edith — instinct ; together, 
 of course, with the fact that when you thought 
 danger threatened, his name was first on your 
 lips." 
 
 "Go to sleep, Mah Noo," said Edith, 
 with mock severity, " and don't be imper- 
 tinent." 
 
 "But you do love him, Edith dear?" 
 persisted Mah Noo persuasively. "Come 
 now — confess ! 
 
 But Edith pretended to be asleep, and 
 not another word could Mah Noo get from 
 her. 
 
 282 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 At an early hour the following morning, 
 the fugitives mounted their ponies and con- 
 tinued their journey, Murray riding beside 
 Mah Noo, while Cameron and Edith were 
 in the rear. 
 
 "I'm glad we are alone, Mr. Murray," 
 Mah Noo declared, " because I have some- 
 thing very important to say to you." 
 
 " What a coincidence ! " Murray exclaimed. 
 " I too have something very important to say 
 to you." 
 
 " But I am sure that what I have to say is 
 by far the more important, so I'll speak first." 
 
 " Pardon my contradicting you, but I am 
 quite certain that nothing can be more im- 
 portant than what I wish to say." 
 
 " I want to speak of something that con- 
 cerns the happiness of two people." 
 
 " And so do I." 
 
 " Then I believe we both want to talk 
 about the same thing." 
 
 " I hope sincerely that we do. Mah Noo, 
 
 I love you, and " 
 
 283 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 u Oh, that's not what I wanted to say," 
 she interrupted, with a nervous laugh. 
 
 " But still," he continued eagerly, " there 
 is no other subject so important to me. Mah 
 Noo, I repeat that I love you, and that my 
 greatest ambition is to make you my wife. 
 If you can love me in return, and will promise 
 to be my wife, I shall be the happiest man 
 in the world. But if you cannot — if there is 
 no hope for me — do not let your gratitude for 
 anything I may have done to further your 
 escape prevent your saying so. Whether 
 you travel as my affianced bride or not, I 
 will do my utmost to guard you from all 
 danger. What is your answer ? " 
 
 " What — what would your friends say to 
 your marrying a black girl ? " she asked 
 quietly. 
 
 " Black ! " he exclaimed indignantly. 
 " Why, dearest, you know well enough that 
 you are no darker than many English girls." 
 
 " But I'm sure your friends and relations 
 would object to your marrying me." 
 284 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 " They would do nothing of the kind. 
 Nobody in his senses could do anything but 
 congratulate and envy the man who married 
 you. Come, dearest, say that you will be 
 my wife." 
 
 "I do not think I ought, but — but I do 
 love you, and — and " 
 
 "God bless you, my darling!" Murray 
 said earnestly ; and, bending down, he kissed 
 her. 
 
 Neither Cameron nor Edith noticed the 
 action. But Johnson and Tha Bu did, and 
 they grinned with delight. 
 
 " Seems to me, Tha Bu," Johnson said, a 
 few minutes later, " that I'm the only one of 
 this party that can't do any love-making. 
 And it's all through you too," he con- 
 tinued. "If you hadn't been so clever when 
 that little Burmese girl wanted to marry me, 
 I should have been a married man by this 
 time." 
 
 Tha Bu laughed scornfully. " The foolish 
 girls did not love you," he declared. " They 
 285 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 were only anxious to obtain white husbands 
 for a novelty, just as boys delight in capturing 
 a white crow. You have too much affection 
 in your constitution. I could judge that 
 from your face directly I saw you." 
 
 11 Oh, yes, you're deuced clever, no doubt. 
 You'll tell me soon that you can judge a 
 man's appetite by the size of his mouth." 
 And Johnson strolled away. 
 
 After a few minutes' conversation of a 
 particularly hopeful description, Murray, 
 remembering his friends, said, " Now I must 
 tell Cameron and Miss Clarence." 
 
 "Not yet," Mah Noo replied quickly. " I 
 want to tell you first what I was about to 
 say when — when you interrupted." 
 
 ' Is it more important than what I had to 
 say ? " he asked with a smile. 
 
 " I'll leave that for you to decide. What 
 I want to tell you is that I believe my friend 
 Edith is in love with Mr. Cameron, and I 
 should very much like to know whether you 
 think he cares for her." 
 286 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 " Well, he hasn't told me so." 
 
 " Ah ! but you nevertheless know that he 
 does ? " 
 
 " Well — I believe so. Anyhow, when he 
 was down with fever, he was continually 
 raving about her." 
 
 " That's enough, then. But the poor girl 
 herself foolishly imagines that he thinks no 
 more of her than of any other woman." 
 
 "Oh, that's absurd. Tell her I say so — 
 no, no, don't. I'll tell Cameron of my good 
 fortune, and then surely he'll try at once to 
 obtain similar happiness for himself." 
 
 Scarcely had Murray spoken these words 
 when a weird howl arose from the jungle 
 near at hand. 
 
 " What is that ? " he asked sharply, turn- 
 ing" round in his saddle and addressing 
 Tha Bu, who was calmly examining his 
 revolver. 
 
 " The dacoits' signal for attack," the guide 
 replied, as firmly as he could. 
 
 Within a few moments a wild, evil-looking 
 
 287 IS 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 mob burst from the jungle, and, with shrill 
 cries, instantly surrounded the fugitives. 
 
 Taken by surprise, in fierce desperation 
 the Englishmen and Tha Bu emptied their 
 revolvers into the merciless enemy. Every 
 shot told, but the struggle was altogether 
 hopeless. The dacoits were over a hundred 
 strong, while the fugitives were but four men 
 and three women. To their great surprise, 
 the dacoits made no attempt to slay them, 
 but contented themselves with shouting and 
 brandishing their brightened daks, which 
 flashed in the sun quite dazzlingly. 
 
 Then Po Thaw appeared. He stood 
 alone, firmly grasping his jewelled dak. 
 Directly Mah Shway O saw him, she rushed 
 at him with indescribable fury. But he was 
 on the alert, and, warding off her blow, made 
 a savage lunge at her with his dak, at which 
 she fell severely wounded. 
 
 A cry of horror broke from the fugitives, 
 and Tha Bu, mad with rage, dashed at the 
 bo. His brave act was useless, however, for 
 288 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 instantly he was struck to the ground by a 
 dozen of the enemy. Seeing this, Johnson 
 made a strenuous effort to get at Po Thaw ; 
 but before he had gone many yards he was 
 borne to the ground and disarmed, though 
 not without a fierce struggle with nearly a 
 score of dacoits. 
 
 Cameron and Murray had reloaded their 
 revolvers in the meantime, and were reserving 
 their fire for the first person who dared to 
 touch either Edith or Mah Noo. 
 
 Presently a loud voice was heard above 
 the din. 
 
 "The white dogs are in my power," ex- 
 claimed Po Thaw, " for they are but few, 
 while my followers are many. If the vile 
 strangers will surrender, no harm shall be 
 done to the women ; but if they dare to fight, 
 the women shall be treated even as I have 
 treated this woman " — pointing to the pros- 
 trate Mah Shway O as he spoke. 
 
 There was an ominous pause. 
 But if we promise to surrender," Cameron 
 289 
 
/ 
 
 The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 called out, after translating his words to 
 Murray, "will you swear that you will not 
 kill or torture these two ladies ? " 
 
 " Yes, I will, for I am not likely to harm 
 the women who are to be my wives. Ha ! 
 the white dog looks fierce ! Did he want 
 the women ? Well, I will take the kalas 
 back to the feeble Bah Wah, and see whose 
 wives these women are to be." 
 
 " Don't surrender," Mah Noo whispered 
 to Cameron. " Let us all die together." 
 
 " I cannot consent to that," Cameron 
 replied. " We must cling to life as long as 
 we possibly can with honour. Sooner or 
 later this bloodthirsty robber is certain to be 
 captured by our troops, and then we shall be 
 set free." 
 
 " What is your answer ? " Po Thaw asked 
 impatiently. " Will you surrender and save 
 the lives of yourselves and the women, or 
 die here and let your bodies be eaten by the 
 beasts of the jungle ? " . 
 
 Cameron again consulted Murray and 
 290 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 Johnson. Murray agreed with Cameron 
 that, under the circumstances, the best thing 
 they could do would be to surrender. John- 
 son, however, was strongly in favour of 
 fighting at all costs. 
 
 " We will surrender," Cameron said to Po 
 Thaw, " trusting to your promise not to kill 
 us." 
 
 " Throw down your arms, then," the bo 
 answered, with a smile of pleasure which he 
 tried to conceal. 
 
 The Englishmen threw down their rifles 
 and revolvers, which were seized at once by 
 the enemy. 
 
 " Dismount ! " Po Thaw commanded. 
 
 They hesitated and were unceremoniously 
 pulled from their ponies. Johnson struggled 
 violently, and, before his arms were tied 
 behind him, managed to inflict a surprising 
 amount of injury upon his persecutors. 
 Cameron and Murray were also bound, and 
 their ponies appropriated by some of the 
 bos lieutenants. 
 
 291 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " You are surely not going to leave those 
 poor creatures behind," Cameron exclaimed, 
 as they moved off, leaving Tha Bu and Mah 
 Shway O lying bleeding on the ground. 
 
 " The dogs shall stay where they are," Po 
 Thaw declared. " They should be thankful 
 that their deaths are not full of agony." 
 
 " But that man is your countryman, and 
 his religion is your religion." 
 
 " I have no religion, and fear the idle 
 phoongyees no more than I fear you. Say no 
 more about the half-dead dogs, for your 
 words will only anger me and make me 
 inflict further hurt upon them." 
 
 When Johnson understood that Tha Bu 
 and Mah Shway O were to be left alone to 
 die, he became frantic. With a tremendous 
 effort he expanded the huge muscles of his 
 chest and arms, and snapped the turbans 
 which bound him. Before the astounded 
 dacoits could realise what had happened, he 
 rushed at them. He was unarmed, but they 
 fled in terror, convinced that he was a nat 
 292 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 in man's form. Po Thaw alone remained 
 calm. 
 
 " Cowardly fools ! " he shouted. " The 
 kala dog is unarmed. Come back and seize 
 him. Capture him alive ; his death must be 
 a lingering one." 
 
 But the men heeded him not. Each was 
 anxious to hide himself in the jungle. 
 
 Then Po Thaw commanded his scarred 
 lieutenants, six in number, to seize Johnson. 
 They were strong men, and each had won 
 his rank by some act of personal bravery. 
 Armed with heavy sticks, they made a 
 combined rush on Johnson, who was running 
 to and fro, searching for a dak. 
 
 The first blow aimed at him he skilfully 
 avoided, and seized his assailant by the 
 throat. With his disengaged hand he struck 
 terrific blows at the others. 
 
 But the unequal struggle was soon over. 
 
 A blow from behind sent Johnson senseless 
 
 to the ground. In a moment the dacoit 
 
 leaders pounced upon him, and shouted for 
 
 293 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 ropes. They were soon forthcoming, and in 
 a short time Johnson was securely bound, 
 hand and foot. 
 
 Po Thaw was in a terrible rage, and, as 
 soon as Johnson regained consciousness, 
 abused him unmercifully. Johnson, however, 
 ignored the bo. His thoughts were all of 
 his friends lying wounded and uncared for. 
 But Murray's blood boiled when he witnessed 
 Po Thaw's cowardly conduct, and he de- 
 nounced the bos heartlessness in language 
 which made the scoundrel wince. Po Thaw 
 snatched up a stick and rushed at him. He 
 dealt one blow, and then Mah Noo sprang 
 forward and seized his uplifted arm. 
 
 " People have told me that you are a 
 brave man," she said, looking him full in the 
 face ; "but now I know that you are nothing 
 but a miserable coward, whose heart is like 
 water with fear when he meets his foes. You 
 boastfully say that you will be as mighty a 
 warrior as Alompra ; but Alompra was a 
 brave man, and did not wait until his 
 
 294 
 
Flight and Capture 
 
 enemies were disarmed before he struck 
 them. You would not have had the courage 
 to strike the Englishman had he been able 
 to defend himself." 
 
 " The words you have spoken are but 
 words of foolishness," Po Thaw declared 
 angrily. "I do not fear any man, be his 
 skin white or brown. But why do you speak 
 so well of the white kala ? Do you love 
 him ? If so, your love must cease ; for, as 
 you know, I have decided to make you my 
 wife. You think that because you have lived 
 for a time in the Englishmen's little country 
 across the sea, that you know all about the 
 white kalas ; but you do not. They are proud, 
 cruel dogs, and only fit to be murdered and 
 plundered." 
 
 " They are brave, noble men," Mah Noo 
 declared stoutly, "and the sooner they have 
 captured you and every other bo, the better 
 it will be for our country." 
 
 J 95 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE END OF BAH WAH 
 
 ^IfHEN Po Thaw arrived at Bah 
 * * Wah's village, he shouted to Po Se, 
 
 who came to meet him, " Dog, where is your 
 
 master ? " 
 
 " The Great Lord of Righteousness is in 
 
 his palace," Po Se replied, with difficulty 
 
 concealing his sorrow at seeing his English 
 
 friends prisoners. 
 
 " Bring him to me at once, then." 
 
 " I will conduct you to the Golden Feet if 
 
 you desire it. The Sovereign of the Whole 
 
 World cannot come to his servant." 
 
 '* You shall soon see that I am no servant 
 
 of the feeble-minded Bah Wah. Bring him 
 296 
 
The End of Bah Wah 
 
 to me at once, or I'll strike your head from 
 your shoulders with my dah." 
 
 Po Se smiled, and said — 
 
 " Supayalat wished to kill me ; Theebaw 
 wished to kill me ; Bah Wah wished to kill 
 me ; but they feared to raise their hands 
 against me. The good king Mindoon hath 
 said that I must never be killed. If kings 
 dare not kill me I need not fear a base-born 
 robber such as you." 
 
 " Seize the chattering dog," Po Thaw 
 shouted to his men, " and punish him. Let 
 his life be worse than death." 
 
 The prime minister was promptly seized 
 and bound, and carried away for punishment. 
 Then the do proceeded to the palace where 
 Bah Wah was seated on a throne, sur- 
 rounded by his favourites. Evidently he 
 had not heard of Po Thaw's arrival, for 
 a look of terror came over him when he 
 saw him. 
 
 " I am glad to see that the valiant Po 
 Thaw has recovered so quickly from his 
 297 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 wounds," he declared, with every semblance 
 of earnestness. Instead of replying, Po 
 Thaw roughly seized him by the hair and 
 dragged him to the ground. The terrified 
 Lord of the Celestial Elephant shouted 
 loudly for help, but his courtiers, anxious 
 for their safety, instantly bolted. 
 
 " Take him and guard him until I have 
 decided how the miserable dog shall die," 
 Po Thaw said to his men, who uncere- 
 moniously dragged Bah Wah away. Then 
 the order to loot the village was given, and 
 a scene of rapine and murder ensued too 
 horrible to describe. 
 
 For more than an hour the terrible work 
 continued ; and finally, when the plunder had 
 been removed to a place of safety, the village 
 was set alight. 
 
 Mah Noo and the English prisoners had 
 been forced to witness the carnage, and were 
 now fully prepared to suffer a cruel death 
 themselves. Bah Wah was terribly agitated, 
 for he feared that Po Thaw would not let 
 298 
 
The End of Bah Wah 
 
 him die the royal death of being sewn up in 
 a red sack and thrown alive into the Irra- 
 waddy. 
 
 " Po Thaw," he exclaimed, "listen to my 
 words. To ask you to spare my life would, 
 I now know, be as useless as to expect a 
 tiger to give up the child which he has seized 
 near the village ; but I remind you that I am 
 a descendant of the famous Alompra, and that 
 it is not lawful to kill me except in the way 
 which, by their deaths, so many Golden 
 Footed princes have made glorious." 
 
 " False dog ! " Po Thaw answered, " were 
 it not that the blood of the mighty warrior 
 flows in your veins, I would cut you to pieces 
 and throw you to the swine ; but out of 
 respect for the Great King, whom I resemble 
 more than you in bravery, you shall die the 
 royal death. I cannot spare the time to take 
 you to the river, but you shall return to the 
 heavens in the lake close by." 
 
 " Po Thaw, I thank you ; and when you 
 fall into the hands of the servants of the 
 299 
 
The Dacoifs Treasiwe 
 
 Great White Queen, may they be as merciful 
 to you as you have been to me." 
 
 " Hearken unto my words, Po Thaw," 
 Cameron joined in, "and remember that the 
 punishment of a judge who judges iniquitously, 
 and decides falsely, shall be greater than 
 though he had slain one thousand women, 
 one hundred priests, or one thousand horses. 
 Bah Wah is in no way to blame for the escape 
 of our countrywoman and Mah Noo. I and 
 my two friends are to blame, and if anyone 
 is to be punished it should be we and not 
 Bah Wah." 
 
 " Bah Wah shall be punished, and you 
 also," the bo declared. " But as for the 
 women, they shall be my wives, and I will do 
 to them whatever seemeth best to me." 
 
 "If you force them to be your wives your 
 punishment shall be very severe when our 
 soldiers capture you. You have many men 
 with you ; but there are some among them 
 who are sick of fighting against women and 
 children, and would rejoice if you were cap- 
 300 
 
The End of Bah Wah 
 
 tured ; for my countrymen would permit 
 them to return to their paddy fields and live 
 in peace. Perhaps some of them will tell the 
 English chiefs how you deal with these two 
 women. If you treat them well, some of 
 your crimes may be forgiven ; but if you 
 compel them to be your wives your punish- 
 ment will be indeed heavy. Think of my 
 words, Po Thaw, for you cannot fight the 
 English much longer, and before many weeks 
 have passed you will be a bo no more." 
 
 "The white kala talks as if he were a 
 wizard ; but I laugh at his words, and spit at 
 him." 
 
 " I am no wizard, but the words I speak 
 are nevertheless true." 
 
 " Some day I shall know whether or not 
 they were true, but long before that day 
 arrives you and your companions will be 
 dead and forgotten. Now you shall see the 
 weak-minded Bah Wah die ; but do not 
 imagine the death in store for you will be 
 such an easy one." 
 
 301 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Bah Wah and the three Englishmen were 
 then marched to the lake, surrounded by a 
 large crowd. Bah Wah was in excellent 
 spirits, smoking his cheroot and cracking 
 jokes freely with his guard. To die the royal 
 death was evidently the height of happiness 
 to him. When they reached the water a 
 large red sack was produced, and Bah Wah, 
 the cheroot still in his mouth, entered it and 
 squatted down without the slightest hesita- 
 tion. The top of the sack was quickly sewn 
 up, and without any delay it was lifted by a 
 number of men and pitched into the lake. 
 It sank at once, and was not seen again. 
 
 When Cameron and Murray were marched 
 back to the ruined village, they were alarmed 
 to find that Edith and Mah Noo were not 
 where they had left them. Their fears were 
 soon quieted, however, by hearing from a 
 sympathetic Burmese woman that they had 
 been removed to the palace, which had not 
 been destroyed, where they were to occupy 
 Mah Noo's apartments. 
 302 
 
The End of Bah Wah 
 
 Shortly before sunset, Cameron, Murray, 
 and Johnson were tied hand and foot, and 
 compelled to pass the night in the open. 
 Their custodians sat quietly in a circle around 
 them, the red burning end of their large 
 cheroots alone being visible to the prisoners. 
 Occasionally the Englishmen would speak a 
 few words, but it was an expensive luxury, 
 for every time they spoke their guards struck 
 them with their long canes. 
 
 To the prisoners the night appeared ter- 
 ribly long, and daybreak had never been 
 so welcome, albeit they knew that in all 
 probability it was the last morn they would 
 ever see. 
 
 No breakfast was given them, and as they 
 lay, hungry and dispirited, they heard the 
 sound of many carpenters at work. 
 
 Cameron lifted his head, and glanced 
 towards the workmen. The colour left his 
 cheeks ; his eyes filled with a glare of horror. 
 
 "Heaven help us!" he gasped. "The 
 fiends are going to crucify us ! " 
 
 303 tq 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 MAH NOO S APPEAL 
 
 NEITHER Murray nor Johnson ut- 
 tered a word, but their cheeks 
 blanched and the perspiration poured from 
 their faces when they saw the preparations 
 for their crucifixion. The dacoits, seeing 
 that they understood what was to be their 
 fate, jeered at them and gave graphic illus- 
 trations of the tortures they were to endure. 
 Unfortunately the scoundrels had plenty of 
 time to devote to their fiendish amusements, 
 as it was not until the sun was getting high 
 in the heavens, and began to pour down 
 mercilessly on the doomed men, that Po 
 Thaw and his officers appeared on the 
 scene. 
 
 3°4 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 " Have the kalas passed a peaceful 
 night ? " Po Thaw asked mockingly, and as 
 no reply was forthcoming, added with a 
 brutal laugh, " Well, to-night you shall sleep 
 very soundly. Ten thousand mosquitos 
 and a hundred jackals will be powerless to 
 disturb you." 
 
 Cameron interpreted what Po Thaw said, 
 but Murray and Johnson agreed with him 
 that it was useless to reply. That mad- 
 dened Po Thaw, and he ordered his men 
 to sharpen their daks. They obeyed him 
 promptly, laughing the whole of the time. 
 
 " Do the white dogs know why my brave 
 warriors are sharpening their weapons ? " 
 Po Thaw asked, later. 
 
 "To torture their defenceless prisoners," 
 Cameron replied, without a moment's 
 hesitation. 
 
 "The kala has spoken the words of truth. 
 
 My warriors are sharpening their daks so 
 
 that they may be able to wound the white 
 
 dogs as they hang helpless on the wooden 
 
 3°5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 crosses. The wounds my warriors will 
 make will not be deep enough to kill, but 
 they will be very painful. But if the kalas 
 will do as I bid them they shall not die this 
 awful death, but shall be set free. Let them 
 advise Mah Noo and the white girl to be my 
 wives, and if their advice be taken, I will 
 swear to convey the Englishmen in safety to 
 their nearest fort." 
 
 "We would rather die the most horrible 
 death you could devise than urge either of 
 the women to become the wife of such a 
 brutal man as you," Cameron declared. 
 
 " The words you speak are but your own 
 words," Po Thaw shouted fiercely. " Tell 
 your companions what I have said to you 
 and let me know their reply." 
 
 " Po Thaw promises to spare our lives 
 and escort us in safety to the nearest fort 
 if we can induce Miss Clarence and Mah 
 Noo to consent to become his wives," 
 Cameron said to Murray and Johnson. 
 " But if we refuse to urge them to do so 
 306 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 he will add other tortures to our crucifixion. 
 What do you say ? " 
 
 " I for one will never think of accepting 
 life on such conditions," Murray declared 
 emphatically. " Mah Noo has promised to 
 be my wife, and while there is life in my 
 body I will never give her up." 
 
 "If the ladies marry Po Thaw," said 
 Johnson, "they will be miserable for the 
 whole of their lives. Our pain will soon 
 be over." 
 
 " Quite true, Johnson," Cameron said, 
 " our agony will be great, but it will be 
 brief — to-day pain, to-morrow peace, while 
 life for Miss Clarence and Mah Noo would 
 be simply a living death with such a man 
 as Po Thaw. He may compel them to 
 become his wives, but do not let us be a 
 party to their misery." 
 
 "White dogs," Po Thaw hissed, " I have 
 
 understood most of your words, although 
 
 spoken in your own tongue, and I know 
 
 that you prefer to die. Therefore you shall 
 
 307 
 
The Dae oil's Treasure 
 
 die, and all the torments of the hot and cold 
 hells shall not be more dreadful than those 
 you are about to undergo." 
 
 " Crucify the dogs ! " he shouted to his 
 men, who eagerly rushed to obey his com- 
 mand. They seized the Englishmen and 
 roughly dragged them towards the crosses, 
 which were now ready for the victims. 
 They were not of the same shape as the 
 one on which our Saviour suffered, but were 
 square frames with beams from the top 
 corners to the opposite bottom ones. John- 
 son was selected as the first to suffer. Not 
 a word of reproach or supplication escaped 
 him. He was determined to let Po Thaw 
 see how an Englishman could die. But 
 just as he was being forced against the 
 cross, Mah Noo and Edith Clarence ex- 
 citedly pushed their way through the crowd 
 and boldly faced Po Thaw. 
 
 " Wretched man!" Mah Noo exclaimed, 
 "you are basely going to take the lives of 
 men whom you induced to surrender under 
 308 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 false pretences. You know, and so do your 
 followers, that you promised to save the 
 white men's lives if they surrendered. Now, 
 Po Thaw ! vile slayer of defenceless women 
 and unarmed men, the words I am about to 
 utter are no idle ones, such as vain boasters 
 as yourself speak, but words which express 
 the true and unalterable determination of the 
 Englishwoman and myself. You say that 
 we are to be your wives, but how would you 
 like to wed dead women? If these white 
 men die by your orders, then shall we die 
 also. You may take away from us every- 
 thing with which you imagine we can harm 
 ourselves, but still we shall be able to put an 
 end to our existence. A frog never having 
 seen the sea deems it no larger than the 
 water in the well where he dwells, and you, 
 who have not seen England, think in your 
 ignorance that it is but little mightier than 
 Burma. But I assure you that the know- 
 ledge of the English is so great that if all 
 the wisdom of our phoongyees and wizards 
 3°9 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 was possessed by one Burman, he would still 
 be an ignorant child compared with an 
 English phoongyee. I learned many things 
 during the years I was in England, and 
 one was, how to kill myself without any 
 weapon or drug. If you kill the English- 
 men, then will the white woman and I kill 
 ourselves. And remember this, Po Thaw ; 
 if I die you will have been the cause of my 
 death — you will have slain a descendant of 
 the immortal Alompra." 
 
 Then she turned to the crowd, which had 
 listened in amazement to her bold words. 
 
 " Hearken to me, my countrymen," she 
 said in a loud voice. " These white 
 strangers have done you no harm. They 
 are not soldiers, but simply travellers who 
 have come to see the glorious land of our 
 forefathers. Yet they are to die an in- 
 famous death by the order of Po Thaw — 
 who thinks less of taking a human life than 
 a good Buddhist does of killing a mosquito. 
 I have travelled in the land of these white 
 310 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 men, and everywhere I went I was treated 
 with great kindness. I have lived in their 
 big cities and small villages ; in their sea- 
 ports and up-country towns, but never once 
 have I been ill-treated. Countrymen, you 
 know that I am a descendant of the mighty 
 Alompra, who did more for our beloved 
 country than any other man. There is no 
 need for me to relate his noble deeds, for 
 they were told to you when you were little 
 children sitting astride on your mothers' 
 hips ; but I ask you now to show that you 
 honour his memory by granting the wish 
 of one in whose veins his blood flows. All 
 I ask is that the lives of these Englishmen 
 may be spared. Urge Po Thaw to grant 
 my desire, and if he is at heart a true 
 Burman he cannot refuse you. If these 
 white men wanted to plunder our country, 
 to destroy our pagodas or insult the 
 Buddhist religion, I would not ask for their 
 lives to be spared one moment ; but they 
 wish to do none of these things. They 
 3ii 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 are simply travelling peacefully through our 
 country, as I travelled through theirs. 
 Their countrymen treated me kindly, and 
 I will not believe that you will repay the 
 hospitality shown to Alompra's descendant 
 by killing men from the country that showed 
 her that kindness. As I have told Po 
 Thaw, if these men die, I die also, and 
 he will be the cause of my death." 
 
 Mah Noo's speech created a profound sen- 
 sation. The dacoits applauded her warmly, 
 but none had the courage to imitate her 
 boldness of speech and demand that her 
 wish should be granted. Po Thaw, how- 
 ever, was quick to note the impression Mah 
 Noo's speech had made upon his followers, 
 and acted accordingly. 
 
 " For the sake of Mah Noo's famous 
 ancestor," he said, "and because of the 
 kindness shown to her in the kalds country, 
 I will grant her request. The Englishmen 
 shall not be killed." 
 
 The prisoners could scarcely believe that 
 312 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 Po Thaw meant what he said. Even Mah 
 Noo was astonished, but she soon determined 
 to strike the iron while it was hot. 
 
 " Po Thaw," she said, " I thank you from 
 my heart. Good deeds are always a source 
 of great happiness to the performers, and 
 you will derive far more satisfaction from the 
 recollection of this one good act than from 
 your many deeds of violence. Add there- 
 fore to your happiness, and to the merit of 
 your act of mercy, by setting the English- 
 men free and letting them depart uninjured." 
 
 " I will consider your words," Po Thaw 
 replied, "and will tell you, later, my 
 decision. Now go back to the palace and 
 take the white woman with you, for the 
 sight of your sweet faces makes my thoughts 
 wander from my warlike plans." 
 
 So Mah Noo and Edith Clarence, fearing 
 to awaken Po Thaw's anger by disobeying 
 him, immediately returned to the palace. 
 
 Po Thaw watched the two girls until 
 they were lost to sight. Then he turned 
 3i3 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 to the Englishmen, his face distorted with 
 rage. 
 
 "Vile dogs," he hissed, "I have spared 
 your lives, but in the days to come you will 
 curse me for having done so, for I have 
 reserved you for a life that is a living death." 
 
 A few moments later Po Thaw, at the 
 head of some fifty dacoits, marched with his 
 prisoners into the jungle. In about half an 
 hour they arrived at a small village at the 
 foot of a hill. 
 
 " This is to be your home, dogs," Po 
 Thaw declared to the Englishmen, who at 
 first thought the place was deserted. But 
 the noise made by the new arrivals aroused 
 the inhabitants, who came crawling from 
 their squalid huts in every stage of the most 
 hideous disease that the world knows. It 
 was a leper village ! 
 
 The Englishmen understood Po Thaw's 
 
 threat now. They were to be confined in 
 
 this village of slow- coming death and see, 
 
 day by day, the afflicted inhabitants dragging 
 
 3i4 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 through their weary lives. " But how will 
 they keep us here ? " was a question they 
 asked themselves. It was answered in a 
 way they little expected. Among the crowd 
 of lepers who had come forth to see the 
 strangers were three women, hideous objects, 
 but yet in all probability with many years of 
 life before them. Po Thaw commanded 
 them to advance, and then turning to the 
 English prisoners said, " I have taken from 
 you the women you desired, to be my wives, 
 but in their stead I give you these three 
 women. When you marry a woman from 
 your own country you are joined together 
 by one ring, but to these women you shall 
 be joined by many rings." 
 
 His followers immediately produced three 
 stout chains and six padlocks. 
 
 Directly Cameron saw the chains he 
 guessed the truth. " Struggle for your 
 lives ! " he shouted excitedly to Murray and 
 Johnson. "The fiends are going to chain 
 us to the lepers." 
 
 3i5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 They did struggle violently, but with 
 their hands tied tightly to their sides they 
 could not offer any effectual resistance. In 
 a few minutes they were overcome, and the 
 chains placed round their right wrists and 
 padlocked. Then the other ends of the 
 chains were attached in a similar manner to 
 the left wrists of the lepers, leaving only 
 about two feet of chain between the diseased 
 and untainted. For a few moments the 
 Englishmen strove frantically to tear the 
 chains from their wrists, but their efforts 
 were of course futile, and served only to 
 amuse the dacoits. 
 
 " Now that I have given you each a wife," 
 said Po Thaw, " I will return to the white 
 woman and her friend to make them my 
 wives. When I have driven all the white 
 kalas into the sea I will return and see how 
 happy you are." 
 
 Without another word Po Thaw walked 
 quickly out of the village followed by 
 his men, who considered the punishment 
 316 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 meted out to the Englishmen an excellent 
 joke. 
 
 Po Thaw made his way at once to the 
 palace, where he found Edith and Mah Noo 
 sitting in the verandah, evidently very 
 miserable. 
 
 " Maidens," he said to them, " for you I 
 did what I would not do for anyone else, no, 
 not for King Theebaw if he came back to 
 his country and commanded me to do it. I 
 have spared the lives of the two Englishmen, 
 and now I ask for my reward." 
 
 " Where are the Englishmen?" Mah Noo 
 asked anxiously. 
 
 "In safety. I escorted them some 
 distance through the jungle and then set 
 them free. They are going to hurry back to 
 their own country." 
 
 "They did not tell you so, Po Thaw." 
 
 "If you were a man you would not have 
 dared to say that." 
 
 " I would have dared to say much more 
 than that ; I would have said, as I say now, 
 3i7 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 that the words you have spoken about the 
 Englishmen returning to their country are 
 not true." 
 
 " Silence, Mah Noo ! I do not wish to 
 speak angry words to you now ; the time for 
 them will be after we are married. For a 
 few days I can remain here in idleness, and 
 no better time could be found for my marry- 
 ing you and the white-skinned woman. 
 To-day I will send out the packets of pickled 
 tea l and to-morrow we shall be married. 
 Tell your companion the words I have 
 said." 
 
 " There is no need for me to tell her, for 
 we have both decided that it would be far 
 better to die than become your wives. If 
 you call together the people to witness our 
 marriage 1 will declare before them all that I 
 and the Englishwoman loathe you and refuse 
 to marry you." 
 
 " Foolish maiden, do you not yet know 
 
 1 The invitation to a Burmese wedding consists of a 
 packet of pickled tea. 
 
 3X8 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 the power of Po Thaw ? Look from the 
 verandah and see the ruins of the houses 
 destroyed by fire. I commanded, and all 
 that was done. My power is great, and I 
 could compel you to be my wife." 
 
 "Yes, Po Thaw, I know that you could, 
 but the news that you had compelled a 
 defenceless woman who did not love you — 
 a woman who was the promised wife of 
 another man — to marry you, would spread 
 throughout the length and breadth of the 
 country. In every village that you appeared 
 the pkoongyees would invert their collecting- 
 bowls, 1 and the people who are now your 
 friends would fear your approach more than 
 any village you had threatened." 
 
 "The pkoongyees" Po Thaw answered 
 
 1 When the inhabitants of a village repeatedly violate 
 any of the commandments of Buddha or live unlawful 
 lives, the pkoongyees invert their collecting bowls and 
 refuse to make their daily rounds. To the credit of the 
 people it must be said that whenever this sign of 
 monastic displeasure is displayed they strive their utmost 
 to mend their ways. 
 
 319 20 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 angrily, "are a pack of cowards, and I fear 
 them no more than if they were a gang of 
 thin-legged Hindoo coolies. If they loved 
 idleness less and their country more they 
 would stir the people up to revolt against the 
 kalas and help me drive them into the sea. 
 Mah Noo, you are as dear to me as un- 
 expected sight to the eyes of a blind man, 
 and it is because I love you far better than 
 any other woman that I will tell you my 
 hopes for the future. You believe me to be 
 nothing but a robber whose bowels of com- 
 passion are dried up, and whose chief delight 
 is to see his dak dripping with blood ; but I 
 declare — and if I am not speaking the truth 
 may all the curses contained in the book of 
 curses have effect upon me — that this dacoity 
 is simply to disguise my real plans for 
 driving the kalas out of the land. In every 
 large town in Upper and Lower Burma 
 there are several of my trusted men pre- 
 paring for the great rebellion. I have many 
 hundreds of supporters, and at a certain 
 320 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 date they will rise together and kill every 
 European they can find. Then I will place 
 myself at the head of my countrymen and 
 drive every kala out of the country. After- 
 wards I will declare myself King of Burma, 
 and with the riches taken from the white 
 merchants of Rangoon I will build a palace 
 more glorious than the one at Mandalay. 
 And you, Mah Noo, shall be my superior 
 wife. The white-skinned maiden shall wait 
 on us at meals and be my inferior wife. For 
 my brave deeds I shall be loved by the 
 people, and for the blood of Alompra which 
 flows in your veins you will be thought a 
 queen worthy of me. We will rule wisely, 
 and our land shall become as great and as 
 famous as China." 
 
 "It is not by such means as you talk of 
 that our country shall become famous," Mah 
 Noo declared. " For long years blood has 
 flown too freely in our land, and the rich soil 
 in many parts is laying idle because there 
 are none to cultivate it. Peace is what our 
 ^21 
 
The Dacoif s Treasure 
 
 country needs more than anything, so that 
 the people may be encouraged to till the 
 land, knowing that where they have sown 
 they shall reap. If the hands that now wield 
 the dah were to grasp the implements of 
 agriculture instead, Burma might become 
 famous. But to talk of driving the English 
 from the country is simply foolishness, for 
 you can no more do it than you can drive 
 the sun from the heavens. From the 
 mighty Irrawaddy to the Chindwin there are 
 but a few English forts, and in each fort there 
 are only forty or fifty men commanded by 
 young officers; yet you cannot capture them, 
 and with your hundreds of men fear to attack 
 the white men except when they are march- 
 ing through the jungle. You do not know 
 what the English army is, but I do. You 
 saw some of it when the victorious troops 
 entered Mandalay and all our countrymen, 
 sad-hearted and hating the conquerors, cried 
 out with delight when they saw the English- 
 men marching in short straight lines along 
 322 
 
Mak Nods Appeal 
 
 the dusty road, their feet touching the 
 ground together. And, perhaps, if you 
 had not already left the city, you heard 
 their chief call out to them and the short 
 lines became long lines almost before you 
 knew it. Those brave soldiers could have 
 destroyed the town and everybody in it, but 
 as you know they did not harm any but 
 those they caught fighting them. They 
 could have taken away all the riches of the 
 city, but they did not, and Mandalay has 
 become, in the few months it has been under 
 the British rule, a place of which every 
 Burman may well be proud. But the men 
 who captured Mandalay and took away the 
 woman-ruled Theebaw were a very small 
 portion of the English army. If the men of 
 Lower Burma should foolishly revolt, which 
 I do not believe at all likely, and were to 
 join their forces with yours, Roberts, the 
 great English war chief, would send 
 thousands of his quick-marching soldiers 
 from India. And if they were not enough 
 3 2 3 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 he would send a message by the magic 
 wires to Wolseley, the other great war chief 
 — whose blood flowed when the English 
 captured Rangoon many years ago. He 
 would send out from England thousands 
 more men in great fire-boats. Believe 
 me, Po Thaw, to think of attempting to 
 drive the English from the country is utter 
 foolishness." 
 
 "Your stay in the land of the English 
 dogs has made you despise your country- 
 man, "Po Thaw declared somewhat dejectedly. 
 
 "It has not, but I do not wish to see 
 hundreds of my countrymen killed in the 
 hopeless attempt to gratify your ambition." 
 
 "In spite of your words I will free my 
 country from the power of the kalas, and 
 when you are the queen of a large and 
 prosperous country you will thank me for 
 my bravery." 
 
 " I have already told you that I will never 
 willingly become your wife." 
 
 " Willingly or unwillingly it is all the same 
 324 
 
Mah Nods Appeal 
 
 to me so long as you do." Then he turned 
 to Edith and told her in the best English he 
 could muster that on the following day she 
 was to become his wife. For a few 
 moments she stood speechless with horror 
 and indignation. Then she found relief in 
 an outburst of tears. Po Thaw sat down 
 opposite to her and laughed at her piteous 
 weeping. 
 
 " Leave us this moment," Mah Noo 
 exclaimed fiercely, her eyes ablaze with 
 anger, "or you shall see that the spirit of 
 Alompra lives within me." 
 
 And as she spoke she picked up his dak 
 and waved it perilously near to his head. 
 He rose quickly and departed uncere- 
 moniously without his weapon. 
 
 Then Mah Noo, herself in terribly low 
 spirits, endeavoured to cheer up Edith, but 
 with little success. 
 
 About half an hour later there was 
 tremendous excitement among the dacoits. 
 Po Thaw was shouting orders in an un- 
 3 2 5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 usually agitated manner, and roundly abusing 
 his men for not executing them more 
 expeditiously. Mah Noo soon discovered 
 that the dacoits were immediately to quit 
 the ruined village, but whether they were 
 intent on another raid or feared an attack 
 themselves, she knew not. 
 
 " Do not let ourselves be seen," she said 
 to Edith, "and perhaps we shall be forgotten 
 in the excitement." 
 
 But no such good fortune was in store for 
 them. In a few minutes they were sought 
 out, hurriedly placed in two doolies, and 
 carried quickly away, Po Thaw and four of 
 his men accompanying them. 
 
 " Where are you taking us ? " Mah Noo 
 asked imperiously. 
 
 " To a place of safety," Po Thaw replied, 
 "for I am determined that, even if I die in 
 battle, neither of you shall become the wife 
 of a white man." 
 
 Mah Noo made no reply, but her heart 
 sank within her. 
 
 326 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 THE GRATITUDE OF PO SE 
 
 FOR some time after Po Thaw had 
 quitted the leper village, the English- 
 men stood staring with horror at the poor 
 afflicted women to whom they were chained. 
 Around them too were gathered nearly all 
 the inhabitants of the village. Old men and 
 women with long, snowy-white hair, and 
 merry little children already slightly dis- 
 figured, moved about among a crowd of 
 more hideous objects, who either crawled on 
 elbows and knees or walked on crutches. 
 And many of these doomed, socially dead, 
 beings, joked in husky voices about the 
 Englishmen's plight. 
 
 ' Murray, old fellow, I shall go mad 
 3 2 7 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 soon," Cameron declared excitedly, as he 
 moved as far away as possible from the 
 woman to whom he was chained. 
 
 " No, no, you won't," Murray replied ; 
 "keep as calm as you can and perhaps we 
 shall be able to think of some means of 
 escape. We are not in such a plight as we 
 might have been." 
 
 " I can't imagine a more horrible one.' 
 
 " We might have been put in a prison 
 with these poor creatures. As it is we have 
 only to remove these chains to be free." 
 
 " Only ! " 
 
 " Ask the crowd if anyone in the place 
 has a file to lend us." 
 
 Cameron did so. An old man promptly 
 replied, " We have not what the white lord 
 desires. Even if we had we should not dare 
 to lend it. Po Thaw would burn us alive if 
 we did. Four men who had lived here for 
 many years displeased the great bo, so he 
 tied them together, poured kerosene over 
 them, and then set them alight. Our lives 
 328 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 are not happy ones, but we would rather 
 linger on, slowly dying, than be burned to 
 death." 
 
 "There is no hope of our being set free 
 by these poor creatures," Cameron declared 
 to Murray. 
 
 " Then we must free ourselves without 
 their assistance," Murray replied. But how 
 to do this was a subject which the English- 
 men discussed for, an hour or two without 
 coming to any satisfactory decision. The 
 crowd, having gratified its curiosity, had left 
 them. Only two or three children, who now 
 and again stopped short in the middle of 
 their play to stare at them, were near. An 
 exclamation of terror from one of the 
 children, and the immediate flight of all of 
 them, aroused the Englishmen from their 
 gloomy thoughts. 
 
 Looking round they beheld Po Se, mounted 
 on his slave's shoulders, approaching. Two 
 men followed him. 
 
 " My lords ! " Po Se exclaimed, as he dis- 
 329 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 mounted. " I neither forget my friends nor 
 my enemies. My life was in your hands 
 and you were merciful ; therefore will I 
 repay your kindness and at the same time 
 annoy the base-born dog Po Thaw." 
 
 At a sign from Po Se the two Burmans, 
 who were sitting at a respectful distance, 
 advanced. Each had a large file. Po Se 
 took a third from his pocket, and seizing in 
 the middle the chain which bound Cameron 
 commenced to file through it. His men in 
 a similar way worked at the chains on 
 Murray and Johnson. It was slow work, 
 but Po Se and his men stuck to it with 
 determination, and at last the three English- 
 men were free. The women unconcernedly 
 hobbled away to their huts. 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson were 
 overcome with gratitude to their deliverers 
 and thanked them again and again. 
 
 '■ Your thanks are very pleasing to my 
 ears," Po Se declared, " but, nevertheless, 
 I must not listen to them any longer, for it 
 33° 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 is dangerous to linger here. We must hurry 
 away at once." 
 
 Without another word he clambered on to 
 his slave's shoulders and started off at a trot. 
 The Englishmen followed, the chains 
 dangling from their wrists. When they had 
 proceeded some distance, Cameron asked 
 Po Se a question which had been on the tip 
 of his tongue from the moment his deliverer 
 appeared : " How is it that you are un- 
 injured ? Did Po Thaw pardon you ? " 
 Po Se laughed merrily. " The dog, in spite 
 of his brave words before the English lords, 
 feared to punish me," he declared. " While 
 the village was being looted, Po Thaw came 
 to see me tortured. I said to him, ' Po 
 Thaw, hearken to my words ! I appear to be 
 a healthy man, but I am not. Seven famous 
 Burmese doctors and one English soldier- 
 doctor told me so. Our doctors consulted 
 my horoscope ; the Englishman examined 
 my skin. All of them said that if I ever 
 received any bodily pain, I should drop 
 331 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 down dead. Therefore, Po Thaw, I warn 
 you to be very careful what you do to me. 
 If you harm me, I shall die at once, and you 
 will be for ever hated by our countrymen 
 for daring to disregard what the good King 
 Mindoon said concerning me. King 
 Mindoon said that I was not to be killed 
 in certain ways ; and even you, Po Thaw, 
 should respect his command.' Well, my 
 lords, Po Thaw was not very angry at my 
 words. ' You must have bewitched Min- 
 doon for him to have given you that patent,' 
 he said, ' and if I do not send you away, you 
 will bewitch me. Leave this place at once 
 and never let me see your face again.' My 
 lords, I was well pleased, and hurried away 
 as speedily as possible. But my quick- 
 footed man had not carried me a mile when 
 we met a messenger hurrying towards the 
 village. He knew me and delivered into 
 my hand a letter from my brother at 
 Mandalay. My heart was glad when I read 
 it, for my brother said that the Great White 
 332 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 Queen was determined to put a stop to the 
 horrible doings of the dacoits, and had 
 commanded a large body of her white 
 soldiers to kill or capture Po Thaw as 
 speedily as possible. When my brother 
 wrote, the white soldiers had just left 
 Mandalay." 
 
 The three Englishmen grew quite excited 
 over this splendid piece of good news. 
 
 "Where is the messenger?" Cameron 
 asked eagerly. " I want to question him 
 myself." 
 
 " By now, my lord," Po Se answered, "he 
 is many miles away. I sent him back at 
 once with a message to the English chief. I 
 told him to say that Po Thaw was going to 
 crucify three Englishmen and marry an 
 English lady against her wish. I begged 
 the English chief to hurry on quickly and 
 prevent Po Thaw from doing these vile 
 thing's." 
 
 "He will do his best, but he may be too 
 late. Can't we do something, Po Se, to 
 333 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 prevent Po Thaw from forcing the ladies to 
 marry him ? It is simply maddening to 
 think that we are doing nothing to rescue 
 Miss Clarence and Mah Noo from the 
 scoundrel's clutches." 
 
 " Do not let that thought trouble you, 
 my lord. The ladies are safe ! Po Thaw 
 has postponed his wedding. He has heard 
 of the English soldiers' advance, and is now 
 busy preparing to fight them. He declares 
 that he will soon destroy them, and that 
 his victory will be celebrated by his marrying 
 the two ladies. But the vile dog- is boastful. 
 He may marry again, but not in his present 
 existence. Before many weeks have passed 
 he will be as helpless as a babe in the jaws 
 of a tiger." 
 
 "But where are the ladies now?" Cameron 
 persisted. 
 
 " That, my lord, I do not know. Po 
 
 Thaw has removed them to some place 
 
 where they will remain in safety until the 
 
 fighting is finished. When the white soldiers 
 
 334 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 have defeated the dacoits it will not be 
 difficult to discover where the ladies are 
 hidden. Many of Po Thaw's men will 
 readily help the soldiers to find the ladies, 
 in the hope that for so doing they will be 
 forgiven their crimes." 
 
 The knowledge that Edith Clarence and 
 Mah Noo were safe, for a time at any rate, 
 cheered the Englishmen greatly. They 
 marched on in high spirits. Presently Ca- 
 meron said to Po Se, "How did you hear 
 of our awful plight ? " 
 
 " When I had dismissed my brother's 
 messenger," Po Se replied, " I hurried back 
 to Bah Wah's village in the hope that I 
 might get your crucifixion postponed. Alas! 
 I could think of no way of doing what I 
 wished. Hidden in the jungle, I gazed sadly 
 at you, my heart aching because I could 
 not rescue you. Then I saw the beautiful 
 Mah Noo push through the crowd, and 
 heard with pride the noble words she said. 
 But I knew well enough that Po Thaw only 
 335 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 spared your lives for something worse than 
 death. So when he marched you away, I 
 followed cautiously and saw him take you 
 to the leper village. When I saw how he 
 intended to punish you, I rode back to the 
 ruined village and told these two men, who 
 have made and severed many chains for 
 me, to come and set you free. They did, and 
 Po Thaw's vile intentions have been com- 
 pletely upset." 
 
 "They have indeed," Cameron said, "and 
 we shall remember you with gratitude as 
 long as we live. You have nobly repaid the 
 small service we rendered you." 
 
 Murray and Johnson heartily agreed with 
 all that Cameron said. 
 
 Po Se was delighted at the Englishmen's 
 praise, and made no attempt to conceal his 
 pleasure. He became very talkative, and the 
 time passed pleasantly away. At last they 
 arrived at a spot where two jungle paths 
 met. " My lord," said Po Se to Cameron, 
 "whither do you wish to go? This path 
 33 6 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 leads to the Moo, the one to the left to 
 the Chindwin." 
 
 "We wish to go to the Chindwin," 
 Cameron replied. 
 
 "Then, my lord, we must part here. Take 
 these files, and when you are in a safe place 
 remove the chains from your wrists. And 
 do not forget as you travel along to proceed 
 cautiously. Look to the right and to the 
 left, in front of you and behind you. One 
 should never believe there is no enemy 
 about because he cannot easily see him." 
 
 Cameron thanked Po Se for his gift and 
 advice. Then he said, " By the by, Po Se, 
 sha'n't we pass somewhere near the Sunrise 
 Pagoda ? " 
 
 " Yes; the white lords will pass a few miles 
 to the left of it." 
 
 " We should much like to see it. Can you 
 direct us to it ? " 
 
 " I can, my lord." 
 
 Po Se's directions were numerous and 
 complicated, but the Englishmen thanked 
 337 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 him and parted with the ex-prime minister 
 in good spirits. The end of their long and 
 dangerous journey seemed close at hand. 
 This, however, was the first time that they 
 had traversed the jungle without a guide. 
 They missed Tha Bu terribly. In less than 
 an hour after parting with Po Se they 
 arrived at the uncomfortable conclusion that 
 they had lost their way completely. They 
 trudged on, however, hoping, sooner or later, 
 to strike a path. It was a weary journey, 
 and the travellers were just beginning to 
 get somewhat dispirited when they heard the 
 neighing of a horse. Immediately they hid 
 themselves, and watched to see who would 
 pass by, but no one came along. So they 
 crept forward in the direction from which 
 the sound came. 
 
 "Look!" Johnson exclaimed softly. Peep- 
 ing through the undergrowth in the direction 
 he pointed, they saw a Chinaman seated on 
 the ground eating rice with great relish. 
 Near to him was his pony, tethered to a tree. 
 338 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 They watched him for some time with 
 interest. When at last they felt assured that 
 he was alone, they stepped forward and con- 
 fronted him. But the Chinaman did not 
 appear particularly surprised to see them. 
 He pointed with his chopsticks to the chains, 
 and smilingly asked, "What for got brace- 
 lets?" 
 
 " First tell me who you are, and where 
 you are going," Cameron commanded 
 sharply. 
 
 " Me am a merchant. Now me on my 
 way to the Chindwin." 
 
 " How is it that you have not been 
 robbed by Po Thaw ? " 
 
 " Me have been robbed by him last year. 
 This year me say, no be caught and robbed 
 again, me will hide in the day and travel in 
 the night." 
 
 Cameron looked close into his face, for he 
 
 had a suspicion that the Chinaman was Po 
 
 Thaw himself in disguise, but a close scrutiny 
 
 of his features dispelled that idea, and he 
 
 339 
 
1 he Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 asked him, " Can you remove the chains from 
 our arms ? " 
 
 " If can do, may keep chains ? " 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 "And files?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 The Chinaman set to work at once. It 
 was a long job and darkness enveloped them 
 before it was finished. 
 
 " Do you know the Sunrise Pagoda ? " 
 Cameron asked the Chinaman, after they 
 had partaken of some tea which he had 
 brewed. 
 
 "Yes. What for ask?" 
 
 "Will you lead us to it?" 
 
 The Chinaman eyed them doubtfully for 
 a few moments. Their clothes were almost 
 in rags, and the travellers had not the ap- 
 pearance of prosperous Englishmen. Never- 
 theless, the Chinaman said, "If can pay, 
 then can do." 
 
 "We have no money with us, but when 
 we get back to Rangoon we will pay you 
 340 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 handsomely. I am Mr. Cameron, the rice 
 merchant." 
 
 "Can do," the Chinaman promptly de- 
 clared, regarding Cameron with considerable 
 awe. He untethered his pony and suggested 
 an immediate advance. 
 
 " Before we start," said Cameron, " you 
 must take an oath that you will lead us to 
 where we wish to go, and not deliver us 
 into the hands of Po Thaw or any other 
 dacoit." 
 
 The Chinaman expressed his perfect wil- 
 lingness to take the oath at once. Cameron 
 therefore gave him a small, square piece of 
 paper to hold and lit it with a match. As it 
 burned the Chinaman repeated, " I swear, 
 before heaven and the spirits of the universe, 
 that I will to the best of my ability lead you 
 in safety to the Sunrise Pagoda. Should I 
 not do so, may I disappear, as this paper 
 disappears, by fire." 
 
 All night they trudged through the solitary 
 jungle, but the time passed pleasantly, for the 
 34i 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 Chinaman, who was born in Rangoon, and 
 had never seen the Flowery Land, was a 
 very entertaining man. He related, in quaint 
 language, gruesome tales of native supersti- 
 tion and charming little love stories which 
 always ended happily. He declared, with 
 pride, that his little Burmese wife was the 
 sweetest woman in the world, and that his 
 ten-year-old son was the best kite-flyer in 
 Rangoon. 
 
 Soon after daylight they reached the 
 Sunrise Pagoda, which stood almost on the 
 brink of a precipice. It was a small and 
 very insignificant copy of the great Shway 
 Dagon, and although not in good repair it 
 was not nearly such a ruin as many pagodas 
 the travellers had seen. Weeds grew in 
 profusion on the shrine and even on the 
 spire, but the little bells tinkled pleasantly, 
 and the faded flowers on the altar showed 
 that it was still frequented by good Budd- 
 hists. 
 
 "How long English gentlemen stay 
 34 2 
 
The Gratitude of Po Se 
 
 here ? " the Chinaman asked, soon after 
 their arrival at their long-sought destination. 
 
 " Several days," Cameron replied. 
 
 "No can stay," the Chinaman said, 
 alluding to himself, and immediately asked 
 Cameron for a written promise to reward 
 him on his return to Rangoon. 
 
 Cameron gave it at once, and a few 
 minutes later the Chinaman departed. 
 
 The travellers were very pleased indeed 
 to get rid of him, being eager to commence 
 their search for the treasure. When they 
 were satisfied that he had ridden away they 
 set to work in earnest. The distance men- 
 tioned by the Rangoon phoongyee — seventy 
 yards from the centre of the altar — was 
 measured by strides, but although they 
 searched diligently for nearly an hour they 
 saw nothing of the slab. They were just 
 beginning to wonder whether the phoongyee 
 had been deceived by his nephew when 
 Murray, raking about under a bush, struck 
 something hard beneath the soil. 
 343 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 "Hurrah!" he shouted, "I believe I've 
 found it." 
 
 Cameron and Johnson ran to him at once, 
 but before they had time to ascertain if they 
 really had discovered the entrance to the 
 treasure cave they heard a voice they knew 
 only too well. 
 
 " Make for the thicket," Murray whis- 
 pered, and all three of them ran quickly 
 across the open space which lay between 
 them and cover. The branches they had 
 hurriedly pushed aside had scarcely ceased 
 to quiver when Po Thaw and four of his 
 followers marched out of the jungle. 
 
 344 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 A RACE FOR LIFE 
 
 PO THAW was evidently not in an 
 amiable mood. His men, some yards 
 in rear of him, watched him anxiously, 
 apparently fearing some outburst of temper 
 which might prove fatal to them. Cameron, 
 Murray, and Johnson, from their hiding-place, 
 also watched him with considerable anxiety. 
 They were convinced that he was, like them, 
 in search of the hidden treasure, and fully 
 expected him to make a thorough search for 
 the entrance to the cave. But, to their great 
 relief, they soon saw that he had no imme- 
 diate intention of so doing. He sank wearily 
 to the ground, commanding his men to keep 
 watch while he slept. For fully a quarter of 
 an hour not a word was spoken. Po Thaw's 
 345 
 
The DacoWs Treasure 
 
 men smoked their cheroots with evident 
 enjoyment, and seemed at peace with the 
 whole world. But suddenly they crept 
 silently away from their leader, and 
 nearer to the Englishmen. Then they 
 looked anxiously at Po Thaw to see if 
 their movements had disturbed him. But 
 the bo was still as before. After a few 
 moments' complete silence one of the 
 dacoits said to his companions : " He 
 sleeps ! Now let us speak the things we 
 have in our minds. For many months 
 we have followed Po Thaw from village 
 to village, burning them to the ground 
 and killing our countrymen. For these 
 things, as the phoongyees told us wh,en we 
 were boys, we shall have to suffer dreadful 
 torments in the hell to which we will be sent 
 before we can live again. From that punish- 
 ment we cannot escape, but why make the 
 lives we now live miserable to please Po 
 Thaw? When he urged us to leave our 
 village and follow him he promised that we 
 34 6 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 should soon obtain so much wealth that each 
 of us would be rich enough to build a pagoda. 
 Where is that wealth now ? It has not been 
 in my hands. It has not been in yours. If 
 we ask him where is the wealth he will kill 
 us, and the share that is due to us will be his. 
 Better for us if we had never seen his stern 
 face, and had stayed at home to cultivate our 
 fields. But words will not alter the things that 
 are done. What shall we do in the future ? " 
 "What can we do?" said another. "If 
 we secretly leave him he will search for us, 
 and when he has found us our deaths will be 
 the most horrible he can invent. When he 
 urged me to leave my wife and children he 
 swore that we should drive the white kalas 
 from the land, and bring back to Mandalay 
 the Lord of Many White Elephants. But 
 that we have not done. The white men we 
 have fought have been very few, but few as 
 they were we could not drive them away. 
 They fear us no more than we fear the thin- 
 legged Hindoos." 
 
 347 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 "We have killed one hundred of our 
 countrymen for every white man we have 
 slain," declared the third dacoit, "and I am 
 weary of making our women widows, and 
 their children fatherless. Po Thaw has not 
 kept his promise to us, therefore why should 
 we any longer obey him ? " 
 
 " I will not obey him," the fourth dacoit 
 answered, "for after all he is not a mighty 
 warrior. He declares that he is as mighty as 
 Alompra, but a pariah dog might as truth- 
 fully claim to be as powerful as an elephant. 
 And why does he persecute the sweet Mah 
 Noo ? She does not wish to be his wife, and 
 her wish should be respected. We should be 
 better men if we served Mah Noo instead of 
 Po Thaw. The good deeds which Mah Noo 
 did among Bah Wah's people are well known 
 to us, and will assuredly secure her a place in 
 the highest heavens. Moreover, she spoke 
 before us all words about Po Thaw which 
 we had long thought but feared to utter. It 
 was brave of her, but she will be made to 
 348 
 
A Race for Lije 
 
 suffer for it, and so, too, the white woman. 
 Cannot we rescue them ? " 
 
 " I will willingly risk my life for them," 
 said the third speaker. " Let us now leave 
 Po Thaw and hurry towards the soldiers of 
 the Great White Queen. If we appear near 
 their terrible little fort with no weapons in 
 our hands no harm will come to us, for the 
 English lords never fight unarmed men. It is 
 foolishness, but it is a very good thing for us. 
 And when the white lords admit us to their 
 presence we will tell them about the white 
 woman that Po Thaw holds a prisoner. 
 Then they will march forward to the white 
 woman's rescue, and we will also guide them 
 to Po Thaw. They will kill him, and we 
 shall be able to return to our villages in 
 peace, and in cultivating our land and in 
 instructing our sons forget all the horrible 
 things we have seen and done while we 
 followed Po Thaw." 
 
 "The words you have uttered are not all 
 words of wisdom," said the man who had 
 349 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 first spoken. " I have one thing to say to you. 
 The white lords have offered to give R.S5000 
 to any one who brings to them Po Thaw's 
 head. Po Thaw owes us much money ; 
 why, therefore, should we not sever his 
 head from his body and obtain the money 
 the white lords offer ? We should each 
 become rich enough to build a pagoda, 
 and be able to live happily, knowing that 
 Po Thaw could no longer injure us." 
 
 For a minute or two there was complete 
 silence. The dacoits evidently considered 
 that the suggestion of their comrade would 
 be a terribly risky one to carry out. They 
 gazed at Po Thaw's muscular form and then 
 looked uneasily away. 
 
 "Are not my Words pleasing to you ?" asked 
 the man who suggested killing Po Thaw. 
 
 "They are pleasing," one of the others 
 declared quickly, ''but how shall we obtain 
 his head ? Po Thaw is very strong." 
 
 "He sleeps. We will draw lots, and one 
 of us will have to creep quietly up to him 
 35o 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 and strike off his head before he awakes. 
 The other three will be ready to rush upon 
 him in case the first blow does not prove 
 fatal. Come, let us draw lots." 
 
 His companions raising no objection, the 
 speaker produced from the folds of his tucked- 
 up lungyi four big seeds commonly used for 
 gambling purposes. Each conspirator took 
 one, and after a few moments' conversation, 
 pitched it carefully towards a small hole in 
 the ground, a few yards distant. The man 
 whose seed stopped farthest from the hole 
 was to commit the assassination. With an 
 unusual regard to the fitness of things it fell 
 to the lot of the man who had suggested Po 
 Thaw's murder to carry it out. The other 
 dacoits were considerably relieved, but their 
 comrade accepted his stroke of bad luck 
 with philosophical resignation, and imme- 
 diately prepared to do his duty. Firmly 
 grasping his dak he advanced stealthily 
 towards his leader. 
 
 The Englishmen, watching events from 
 35i 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 their hiding-place, felt strangely tempted 
 to utter a cry of warning to their great 
 enemy. But Po Thaw was in need of no 
 such warning. When the would-be murderer 
 was only two or three yards from his victim, 
 Po Thaw suddenly sprang to his feet and 
 faced him. All the man's courage deserted 
 him in the presence of his dreaded chief. 
 His knees shook, and his dak fell from his 
 trembling hand. The next moment Po 
 Thaw sprang upon him, lifted him at 
 arm's length above his head, carried him 
 to the edge of the precipice and hurled 
 him into eternity. The other conspirators 
 promptly sought safety in flight. 
 
 "Cowardly dogs!" Po Thaw shouted 
 after them, " I heard all that you said, 
 and shall remember your treacherous words 
 as long as I live. Death shall not come to 
 you suddenly, as it might have done, in 
 battle. You shall die lingering deaths." 
 
 Then he walked quickly away, passing 
 close to the Englishmen. It never occurred 
 35 2 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 to them to rush out, seize the dead man's 
 dak and attack Po Thaw. They were in 
 fact too interested in watching his ungovern- 
 able rage and listening to his wild ravings to 
 think of that. 
 
 "What was he saying?" Murray asked, 
 when the bo was out of sight. 
 
 " These were his exact words," Cameron 
 replied : " ' The cowardly dogs have heard 
 of the many soldiers which the kalas are 
 sending against me, and foolishly imagine 
 that I am unable to defeat them. They shall 
 see the mistake they have made, for I have 
 many brave warriors who will follow me as 
 long as they have life. It is well, perhaps, 
 that the snarling jackals have deserted me ; 
 nevertheless, when they fall into my hands 
 their punishment shall be terrible." 
 
 " Then I sincerely hope the poor wretches 
 won't fall into his hands," Murray said, 
 "although they certainly deserve some 
 punishment for their villainous attempt on 
 their leader's life. ' 
 
 353 
 
The Da-coifs Treasure 
 
 " They'll soon regret their conspiracy, and 
 in their anxiety to save their own skins each 
 man will, at the first opportunity, betray his 
 comrades. It will be a case of the survival 
 of the craftiest. Each will suspect the other 
 and will seek safety in killing him. Before 
 many days have elapsed only one of those 
 three men will be alive, but which one I am, 
 of course, unable to say." 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson then made 
 themselves as comfortable as possible, and 
 proceeded to eat what remained of the food 
 they had purchased from the Chinaman. 
 They aided its digestion by discussing their 
 plans. All three agreed that it would be 
 advisable to wait some time before examining 
 the entrance to the cave, for fear Po Thaw or 
 any of his late followers should return and 
 discover them. 
 
 " If we make our examination after sunset," 
 said Murray, "the air will be cooler, and we 
 shall be able to work more energetically. 
 The heat to-day is abominable." 
 354 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 Cameron agreed with him. " I've been 
 in Burma now for seven years," he said, 
 "and don't remember ever having felt the 
 heat so much. It's exceptionally hot. I 
 can't account for it." 
 
 Johnson soon fell asleep, with his face 
 hidden in his arms. 
 
 "Don't disturb him," Cameron said, "Then 
 he'll be fresh to watch later, while we sleep." 
 
 It was almost too hot even to talk, and 
 nearly half an hour passed in silence. The 
 heat became yet more oppressive, and 
 soon Cameron and Murray unconsciously 
 fell asleep. An hour passed, and still they 
 slept, all their hardships and troubles forgotten 
 in delightful dreams of those they loved. 
 
 The sun had set and darkness was 
 rapidly covering the land, when Johnson 
 suddenly awoke. The perspiration was 
 pouring from his body and the heat was 
 stifling. He gasped for breath, and dashed 
 the perspiration from his forehead. Several 
 cheetahs and other animals unknown to him 
 355 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 dashed madly by. With a foreboding of 
 danger, he sat up and looked anxiously in 
 the direction from which they came. A 
 grand fet terrible sight met his eyes. The 
 jungle was on fire! 
 
 Seizing each of the sleeping men by the 
 shoulder, he shook them roughly, shouting, 
 " Mr. Murray ! Mr. Cameron ! The jungle's 
 on fire ! " 
 
 The sleeping, perspiring men awoke, but for 
 a few moments did not realise their danger. 
 
 " The jungle's on fire ! " Johnson repeated. 
 " We must run for our lives." 
 
 They were wide awake now, and, spring- 
 ing to their feet, looked quickly round for 
 their best means of escape. The direction 
 in which Po Thaw had gone was already 
 closed to them, the fire having at that point 
 reached to the very edge of the precipice. 
 Every moment's delay lessened their chances 
 of escape, so they dashed off in the other 
 direction, keeping close to the precipice in 
 the hope that they might find a path down 
 35 6 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 it, or at least a ledge on which they could 
 rest in safety. But they saw nothing of the 
 kind, and every minute the flames were 
 cutting them off more and more. In the 
 hope that they might even yet reach a place 
 of safety they rushed on, tearing their clothes 
 again and again as they pushed through the 
 thick vegetation. Frequently the leaping 
 flames stretched across their path, but they 
 dared not hesitate, and, closing their eyes, 
 plunged through them. The jungle animals, 
 wild with fear and smarting with pain, rushed 
 madly past them and fell headlong over the 
 precipice. Dead and dying birds lay about 
 in hundreds, their brilliant plumage ruffled 
 and burnt. 
 
 " It's all up with us," Cameron gasped, as 
 the flames across their path grew fiercer. 
 "We shall have to die, so why struggle on?" 
 
 " Nonsense, man," Murray answered 
 quickly. "If we peg away we are certain 
 to come to a place of shelter before long." 
 
 Murray did not really feel that any hope 
 357 
 
The Dacoifs Ti'easm'e 
 
 was left, but he knew that it would be better 
 or them to battle on until they fell exhausted 
 than to quietly await their doom. 
 
 " The animals are wise," Cameron said, 
 as a mixed herd dashed by them and dis- 
 appeared over the precipice. 
 
 " They are mad," Murray answered 
 sharply, and moved closer to his friend. 
 
 For another five minutes the terrible race 
 for life continued. 
 
 Cameron grew exhausted and fell again 
 and again. Seven years' residence in Burma 
 had made him less hardy than his com- 
 panions. Murray and Johnson each placed 
 an arm round his waist, and bore him along 
 for nearly a quarter of a mile. All three 
 were badly burnt, and their fate appeared 
 certain when suddenly Johnson pointed 
 ahead through the bushes to an open space, 
 and shouted excitedly, " We're saved ! " 
 
 With renewed strength the two men 
 dashed on, and in half a minute placed 
 their now unconscious burden out of danger 
 358 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 of the flames at the foot of a pagoda. 
 Thirty or forty men were busy enlarging 
 the clearing in which the pagoda stood. 
 They had effectually stopped the progress 
 of the fire on the three sides of the 
 pagoda ; on the fourth side was the preci- 
 pice. They were evidently all poor people. 
 They wore skirts only, the upper part of 
 their bodies being bare. Directly they saw 
 the Englishmen several of them rushed to 
 their assistance. Their doctor, a quaint and 
 particularly dirty-looking individual, promptly 
 administered to Cameron some liquid from 
 a carved wooden bottle. The effect was 
 eminently satisfactory, as Cameron not only 
 speedily regained consciousness, but ap- 
 peared none the worse for his terrible 
 experience. 
 
 " It is good!" said the doctor proudly, as 
 he returned his curious bottle to a capacious 
 pocket. 
 
 Murray and Johnson nodded assent to the 
 few Burmese words they knew. 
 359 
 
The Dacoit 5 Treasure 
 
 " What is it? " Cameron asked. 
 
 The doctor smiled pleasantly. 
 
 "That, my lord, is known only to me," he 
 replied, "and I shall tell it only to my son 
 If the white lords came more frequently to 
 me I would make their lives in this land free 
 from all diseases and pain. Now I will 
 attend to your burns." This time he pro- 
 duced from his pocket a box of ointment, and 
 rubbed some of it on Cameron's burnt hands. 
 Not having a bandage handy, he called a 
 little boy who was diligently obstructing the 
 men in his well-meaning endeavour to assist 
 them in clearing the jungle. The boy ap- 
 proached, shyly, towards the Englishmen. 
 The doctor seized him, and adroitly deprived 
 him of his only article of clothing — his pretty 
 pink lungyi — which was quickly torn up for 
 bandages. The little fellow wept bitterly, 
 but soon forgot his loss in watching with 
 tremendous interest every movement of the 
 Englishmen. 
 
 Murray and Johnson had each several 
 360 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 burns to be attended to, and for some time 
 the Burmese doctor was proudly busy. The 
 Englishmen thanked him gratefully for his 
 kindness, and those thanks were much more 
 appreciated than payment would have been. 
 Moreover, the Burman was well aware that 
 his reputation would be considerably en- 
 hanced by having successfully doctored three 
 white men. 
 
 " Where is your village ? " Cameron asked 
 a little later. 
 
 The doctor pointed over the precipice. 
 Noticing the Englishmen's look of surprise, 
 he took them to the other side of the pagoda 
 and directed their attention to some roughly 
 cut steps leading to a ledge some distance 
 down the precipice. From that ledge there 
 were perilous-looking bamboo ladders lead- 
 ing to another. The ledges lower down 
 were connected in the same way. The 
 village at the foot of the precipice could 
 not be seen. 
 
 "If they live down there, why did they 
 361 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 build their pagoda up here ? " Murray asked 
 Cameron. 
 
 Cameron repeated the question to the 
 Burman. "We are not rich men," the 
 doctor explained, "and to build a pagoda 
 requires much money. So I said to the 
 men of my village : ' Let us collect our 
 money and with it build a pagoda. We 
 shall have to share the merit of the work ; 
 but if we erect it in a place which is very 
 difficult of access there will be much merit 
 to be divided among us, and we shall at any 
 rate receive more than if we did nothing 
 but feed the good phoongyees! My words 
 were said to be words of wisdom, and for 
 three years we were busy making the steps 
 up the side of the precipice. Then we 
 brought up from the village every stone of 
 which the pagoda is built. And now the 
 phoongyees and all who hear of it say that 
 although we are only poor men, our work 
 was one of great merit, and that in our next 
 existence our lot will be a happier one." 
 362 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 After the Englishmen had expressed their 
 genuine astonishment at their wonderful piece 
 of work, the doctor continued : '*■ But the 
 fierce fire would have destroyed our beloved 
 pagoda had we not hurried up here and cut 
 away all the jungle that grew around it. And 
 it was the performing of another work of 
 merit that enabled us to know quickly of the 
 fire and guard against it. Not very far from 
 this spot stands the Sunrise Pagoda. It is 
 not a pagoda of much importance, and 
 possibly the white lords have never heard of 
 it, but near it, many yards down the side of 
 the precipice, lives a holy hermit. How 
 long he has lived there no one knows. 
 Some say that he has lived there for hun- 
 dreds of years. He was there when my 
 father was a boy, and my father is the 
 oldest man in the village. Only once have 
 I seen the holy hermit. It was when I was 
 a young man, and I lay peeping over the 
 precipice for hours to catch a glimpse of him. 
 I shall never forget that day. The holy man 
 3^3 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 came at last on to the ledge in front of his 
 cave and walked slowly to and fro. He was 
 a thin old man with snowy white hair which 
 reached almost to his waist. The great 
 carrion birds flew to him and ate from his 
 hand. One settled on his shoulder. Large 
 birds and small birds all seemed to love 
 him. Then he looked down towards our 
 village, and, raising his hands on high, said 
 loud enough for me to hear : ' Live on in 
 poverty, my children, for riches bring strife 
 and sickness and murder.' Then he re- 
 turned to his cave. During all the long 
 years that the holy man has lived there our 
 villagers have supplied him with food and 
 two tiger skins a year for clothing. Before 
 the steps up the precipice were made we had 
 to walk many miles to reach the Sunrise 
 Pagoda and lower the food, but now the 
 distance is not great, and we send our gifts 
 to the holy hermit every day. It was from 
 performing this meritorious action that two 
 of our men were returning when they dis- 
 3 6 4 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 covered from the flight of the birds that the 
 jungle was on fire, and that the flames were 
 travelling towards the precipice. They 
 hurried down to us and told us the sad 
 news. And when we heard that our pagoda 
 was in danger every young man in the 
 village left his work to hasten to save it. 
 As you see, we have saved it." 
 
 While the doctor had been talking to the 
 Englishmen his countrymen had been work- 
 ing hard. To the right and to the left of 
 the clearing the fire had reached the edge 
 of the precipice. The crescent of flames 
 having nothing more to consume, grew less 
 fierce every minute. Assured now of the 
 safety of the pagoda, the doctor invited the 
 Englishmen to accompany them down to his 
 village. But Cameron, Murray, and Johnson 
 were most anxious to remain as near the 
 Sunrise Pagoda as possible. Edith Clar- 
 ence and Mah Noo were aware that that 
 was their destination, and might, they 
 thought, send a messenger to them there. 
 365 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 Moreover, they feared that if the treasure 
 were not speedily removed Po Thaw might 
 discover it. 
 
 The doctor was quick to notice their re- 
 luctance to accept his invitation. 
 
 " It will be impossible," he said, " for 
 you to continue your journey for two days. 
 Jungle fires distress the traveller long after 
 the flames have ceased to make the night 
 sky red. And your burns need attending 
 to. When you have had two days' rest in 
 our village you will feel as refreshed as a 
 wild animal who has drunk at a pure stream 
 after being pursued for hours by the hunts- 
 men." 
 
 For a few minutes Cameron and Murray 
 discussed the advisability of accepting the 
 doctor's invitation, with the result that 
 Cameron said, on behalf of himself and 
 companions, "We will gladly partake of 
 your hospitality." 
 
 " It is good," said the doctor. " Now, 
 my lords, follow me." 
 366 
 
A Race for Life 
 
 To the Englishmen, unaccustomed as they 
 were to mountain climbing, the descent 
 appeared a particularly perilous one. For 
 some distance they climbed down a number 
 of roughly-hewn steps. Then they came 
 to a ledge from which they descended, by 
 means of a thin bamboo ladder, to another 
 one thirty feet below. Having climbed 
 down five similar ladders, they at last 
 reached the bottom of the precipice. The 
 village was close at hand, and the women 
 and children soon appeared to gaze at the 
 white strangers. They admired their fair 
 complexion, but shook their heads solemnly 
 at the texture, cut, and general unsuitable- 
 ness of their clothes. Then the sympathetic 
 women discovered that the strangers were 
 thirsty. They hurried away, returning in a 
 few minutes with a supply of milk and fruit. 
 The Englishmen partook of it with great 
 relish, to the intense delight of the kind- 
 hearted little hostesses. 
 
 3^7 
 
 23 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE TREASURE 
 
 WHEN Cameron, Murray, and John- 
 son had finished their meal they pro- 
 ceeded to make themselves comfortable by 
 lying at full length on the matting, which 
 the thoughtful Burmese women had pro 
 vided for their use. They lit their pipes 
 and smoked in silence. It was one of those 
 beautifully calm Eastern nights which fill 
 the healthy-minded European with an ex- 
 quisite, indescribable feeling — a sad heart- 
 yearning for something unknown yet felt 
 to be unattainable. The three Englishmen 
 fully experienced this strange — and ofttimes 
 ennobling — influence as they gazed in silent 
 admiration at the scene before them. Fire- 
 368 
 
The Treasure 
 
 flies innumerable glistened in every shrub, 
 and seemed to stretch an ever-breaking web 
 of golden thread from bush to bush. Great 
 fox birds hovered lazily overhead, and far 
 above them a graceful paddy bird flew 
 quickly homewards. Soon the moon ap- 
 peared, adding fresh charms to what was 
 already beautiful, and clothing even the 
 squalid and filthy with a weird picturesque- 
 ness. At the top of the great precipice the 
 beloved pagoda stood like a sentinel keeping 
 watch over those who had toiled and spent 
 their all to make it what it was. The 
 Englishmen were gazing at the pagoda 
 when, to their surprise, they heard Po Se's 
 voice. Looking quickly round they beheld 
 the ex-prime minister dismounting from his 
 slave's shoulders. 
 
 " My lords ! " he exclaimed with evident 
 concern, "it only reached my ears a few 
 minutes ago that you had honoured this 
 village with your presence. This is my 
 native place. I returned to it to-day after 
 369 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 many years absence. I was tired after my 
 journey, and slept soundly. My friends had 
 too much respect for me to risk my life by 
 awaking me. 1 But when my eyes opened 
 the friends who stood around me waiting 
 for me to awake told me of the fierce jungle 
 fire. Soon they spoke of three English 
 lords who had suddenly rushed out of the 
 flames and sought safety at the pagoda. 
 My lords, I waited to hear no more. I 
 mounted my bearer and came to you as 
 quickly as I could, for I knew that the white 
 strangers were the just lords who had re- 
 fused to deliver my life into the hands of 
 the vain Bah Wah. My lords, my heart 
 is sad to see that you have been wounded 
 by the cruel jungle fire. The burns, I fear, 
 are very painful." 
 
 " You will be pleased to hear," said 
 
 1 The Burmese believe that when a person sleeps his 
 spirit leaves the body and flits about at will. When the 
 spirit returns to the body the sleeper awakes. If any 
 one be awakened before the return of his butterfly-spirit 
 he will certainly die. 
 
 37° 
 
The Treasure 
 
 Cameron, "that we are suffering no pain 
 whatever. Your doctor is a skilful man, 
 and your neighbours have been very kind 
 to us." 
 
 Po Se beamed with pleasure. "They are 
 poor people," he said, "but they are good 
 and keep the five commandments. The 
 pagoda they have built above our heads 
 will earn them much merit. The phoongyees 
 have said it. And certainly it is a beautiful 
 pagoda. It has more gold leaf, glass, and 
 rubies than the Sunrise Pagoda, which the 
 English lords were so anxious to see. My 
 lord, were you pleased with it ? Did you 
 think it worth travelling so many miles to 
 see r 
 
 "The jungle fire," Cameron replied, "was 
 upon us before we had time to examine 
 it as closely as we should have liked, but 
 in a day or two we shall return to it. That 
 is very necessary, as Mah Noo and the 
 English lady knew we were bound for the 
 Sunrise Pagoda, and may send a messenger 
 37i 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 to us there. Do you still think that there 
 is no danger of Po Thaw making the ladies 
 marry him ? " 
 
 " My lord, I do. I have consulted no 
 wizard, but the words I said to you yester- 
 day I am sure are words of wisdom. Never- 
 theless, the things that should occur do not 
 always take place, and Po Thaw may escape 
 from the white soldiers sent to punish him. 
 If he does he may fear to approach Mah 
 Noo, for she is a clever woman, and knows 
 many things which we think a woman 
 should not know. A woman with learn- 
 ing is to be avoided like deadly poison, 
 and possibly Po Thaw, in spite of his 
 threats, may fear her greatly. Moreover, 
 women won by force are never really wives, 
 and even Po Thaw may think that wives 
 who love not their husbands are most un- 
 desirable. He might fear that if he married 
 Mah Noo and the white lady they would 
 betray him to the English soldiers." 
 
 Po Se's reply was not as reassuring as the 
 37 2 
 
The Treasure 
 
 Englishmen had hoped it would be. Conse- 
 quently the prospect of two days' idleness in 
 the village, cut off entirely from any chance 
 of seeing or hearing of Edith Clarence and 
 Mah Noo, was by no means a delightful 
 one. The villagers, however, did all they 
 could to entertain them. The band played 
 outside their hut for hours at a stretch, 
 in the mistaken belief that they were afford- 
 ing the Englishmen great pleasure. The 
 village girls danced before them, and the 
 lads exhibited their proficiency with the 
 football. Each day the actors gave a 
 performance of four hours' duration, and 
 expressed great regret that the white lords 
 could not stay for five days more to witness 
 the whole of the play. It usually took eight 
 days to perform, but they would endeavour 
 to get through it in seven. The married 
 women of the village industriously mended 
 the Englishmen's clothes, with comical re- 
 sults. The holes burnt in their brown coats 
 were patched with brilliant red, pink, yellow, 
 373 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 or blue cloth. A different colour was used 
 for each hole. The women were immensely 
 proud of their handiwork, and beamed with 
 delight when Cameron, Johnson, and Murray 
 appeared in their mended coats. 
 
 So much was done for the Englishmen's 
 comfort that their stay in the village was 
 not nearly so wearisome as they had ex- 
 pected it to be. Every inhabitant of the 
 place turned out to see them depart. John- 
 son was quite sad at leaving them, for, in 
 spite of his very limited knowledge of 
 Burmese, he had made many friends during 
 the two days. 
 
 The precipice was climbed in safety, and 
 then the travellers saw the terrible effects 
 of the fire. As far as they could see all 
 was desolation. And as they journeyed on 
 towards the Sunrise Pagoda they shuddered 
 as they contemplated the thousands of dead 
 or dying birds and beasts which lay around 
 them. Many thousands more they knew 
 must have been utterly consumed. 
 374 
 
The Treasure 
 
 " Now," said Cameron, " I can under- 
 stand why the Buddhist Law threatens such 
 terrible punishment hereafter to the person 
 who sets light to the jungle. This scene is 
 sad enough to us ; what must it be to a 
 good Buddhist with his firm belief in trans- 
 migration ? " 
 
 When the travellers arrived at the Sunrise 
 Pagoda they were surprised to find it had 
 not suffered much damage. Its tinkling 
 bells had disappeared, the gold leaf which 
 covered the spire had perished, and many 
 of the big images which had been kept in 
 position by the sturdy creepers which grew 
 around them had fallen to the ground. The 
 bush which grew over the supposed entrance 
 to the treasure cave had disappeared, but 
 Johnson soon discovered the spot. Quickly 
 scraping away the ashes and the earth 
 beneath they found, to their great delight, 
 part of a stone slab. After making this 
 discovery they set to work with renewed 
 vigour, and in a little more than half an 
 375 
 
The Dacotfs Treasure 
 
 hour had laid bare not one stone slab but 
 four, side by side. Each was about six 
 feet long and three feet wide. With 
 difficulty they moved one and anxiously 
 peered into the gloomy hole. But, to their 
 great disappointment, they could distinguish 
 nothing. 
 
 "It certainly does not look very inviting," 
 Murray said ; "but perhaps we shall find it 
 better than it looks when we descend. 
 There's a bamboo ladder all ready for use. 
 Who'll go first?" 
 
 " I will," Johnson replied at once. 
 
 "Very well, then. Take these matches 
 with you and strike a light as you go 
 down." 
 
 Johnson cautiously descended into the 
 gloomy hole. Cameron and Murray anxiously 
 waited for his opinion of the place. Several 
 times they saw the flicker of a match as it 
 was struck and immediately went out. 
 
 " Don't waste the matches," Murray called 
 down ; " we'll come and assist you." 
 37 6 
 
The Treasure 
 
 Murray and Cameron descended by the 
 ladder and looked around. 
 
 " I think," Cameron said, " we had better 
 go up and remove another slab. It is utterly 
 impossible to see anything with only this bit 
 of light, and we mustn't be extravagant with 
 the matches. The village girl would only 
 let me have one box. She had another, 
 but appeared most anxious not to sell it." 
 
 " Light one more match before we go," 
 Murray suggested; "we may have better 
 luck this time." 
 
 Johnson did so. The match burned, and 
 with the brief light it gave they discovered a 
 large coil of tarred rope. They cut off a 
 piece and lit it. The rope flared, and the 
 Englishmen glanced round the cave with 
 astonishment. It was about forty feet by 
 thirty, and was lumbered up with all manner 
 of curious and valuable articles. Johnson 
 said it reminded him of an auction-room. 
 Images of Buddha, huge bells, triangular 
 gongs, horse-trappings, drinking-vessels, and 
 377 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 doolies were plentiful, while in one corner 
 were heaped some dozen matchlocks and 
 several jewelled daks. The Englishmen 
 each took one of the latter, and then turned 
 their attention to a handsome gilt and glass 
 studded teak box, which had evidently been 
 taken from some phoongyee kyoung, such 
 boxes being made specially for the safe 
 custody of the Buddhist manuscripts. 
 
 "Perhaps," said Murray, "we shall find 
 the rupees in this." 
 
 But they were disappointed. All the box 
 contained was a number of rare books 
 written on sheets of stained black ivory, 
 the characters being enamelled and the 
 margins gilded. 
 
 " I shouldn't have thought the dacoits 
 would have troubled to steal this sort of 
 thing," Murray remarked as he threw a 
 book down in disgust. 
 
 " My dear fellow, those books are very 
 valuable," Cameron declared, "and you may 
 be sure that the dacoits were well aware of 
 378 
 
The Treasure 
 
 that. We shall be able to sell them to 
 European libraries and museums for a good 
 large sum." 
 
 In another box they found a collection of 
 small but valuable Hindoo idols, studded 
 with precious stones ; also several gold nose- 
 rings, bracelets, anklets, and ear-rings. Many 
 of the ear-rings and nose-rings had pieces of 
 withered flesh attached to them, proving that 
 the dacoits had shown no mercy to the 
 people they had robbed. While examining 
 the box Cameron discovered to his surprise 
 that it was standing on a stone slab similar 
 to those which covered the entrance to the 
 cave. 
 
 "I believe," he declared, "that there is 
 another cave beneath this." His companions 
 being of the same opinion they speedily 
 removed the box and discovered several 
 long, thin slabs, which they at once lifted 
 away, and exposed to view a cell about 
 twelve feet in diameter. Johnson held the 
 torch over it while Cameron and Murray 
 379 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 peered down. It was some twenty feet in 
 depth, and at the bottom they saw several 
 boxes piled one upon another. 
 
 "That is where the money is," Cameron 
 declared with conviction. 
 
 "No doubt," Murray replied; "but what 
 in the name of goodness is that huge thino- 
 coiled up near the boxes ? " 
 
 "By Jove!" Cameron exclaimed, "it's a 
 snake — a guardian snake." And as he 
 spoke the serpent reared its head and slowly 
 uncoiled its immense length of body. 
 
 "Shall I throw my dak at it?" Johnson 
 asked excitedly. 
 
 "No," Cameron replied, "it's climbing up 
 the side. Wait until its head appears at 
 the top and then attack it. It is a most 
 venomous snake, but darkness, confinement, 
 and hunger will have weakened it, and if we 
 are sharp we can kill it before it fully regains 
 its powers." 
 
 They stood at intervals round the cell 
 grasping their daks ready for action. The 
 380 
 
The Treasure 
 
 few moments they had to wait seemed 
 terribly long. Suddenly they saw the ser- 
 pent's head appear. Murray, to whom it 
 was nearest, at once slashed at it from left 
 to right, and with one stroke severed the 
 head from the body. It fell with a thud to 
 the bottom of the hole, the body quivered 
 for a few moments and then sunk slowly to 
 the ground again. 
 
 " I don't know much about the habits of 
 snakes," said Murray, "but although that 
 fellow's head is cut off I shouldn't care to 
 go down into the well just yet. I propose 
 that we let the thing rest undisturbed for an 
 hour or so, and in the meantime we had 
 better busy ourselves in lengthening that 
 ladder. It won't reach to the bottom of the 
 cell, as it is. By the by, how would the 
 dacoits get to the treasure when they wanted 
 to if that serpent were there ? " 
 
 " A snake-charmer probably placed it 
 there," Cameron explained, "and the same 
 man would, if required, charm it away." 
 381 
 
The Dacoif s Treasure 
 
 In a few minutes the Englishmen had 
 ascended the ladder and drawn it up after 
 them. Johnson was at once told off to 
 discover some suitable wood with which 
 they might lengthen the ladder. 
 
 "Well, old fellow," Murray said to his 
 friend directly they were alone, " I fancy 
 we shall find something very valuable in 
 that hole. If we do, I suppose you'll cut 
 Burma and return to England with me." 
 
 " Not until I have rescued Miss Clarence 
 or discovered her fate," Cameron replied 
 emphatically. 
 
 Murray smiled. 
 
 " I have a confession to make," he said. 
 "When you were down with fever I dis- 
 covered that you were in love with Miss 
 Clarence. You never took me into your 
 confidence, so I kept my discovery a secret. 
 Apparently you still love her." 
 
 " I do," Cameron admitted. 
 
 " Then why in the name of goodness 
 didn't you tell her so ? Why didn't you 
 382 
 
The Treasure 
 
 propose to her when we were escaping from 
 Bah Wah's village ? " 
 
 " I had an idea she might think I was 
 taking a mean advantage of her in pro- 
 posing at a time when she was, to a certain 
 extent, under an obligation to me. If I had 
 been confident that she loved me it would 
 have been different ; but I hadn't the 
 faintest idea whether she did, and have 
 not now." 
 
 " Set your mind at rest, my dear fellow. 
 She does. As you can't expect her to 
 tell you unasked, I will. Mah Noo is my 
 authority." 
 
 Cameron grew quite excited. He plied 
 Murray with questions, which were answered 
 to his complete satisfaction. 
 
 "It appears to me," he said, " that I have 
 been a confounded idiot." 
 
 Murray did not contradict him. 
 
 " And now," he continued excitedly, 
 "what shall we do? How can we rescue 
 her ? " 
 
 3 8 3 ^ 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 " If I knew, I assure you I should not be 
 sitting here. You seem to forget that I am 
 anxious for the ladies' welfare — that I am 
 engaged to Mah Noo." 
 
 Cameron was about to reply when Johnson 
 returned with an armful of wood, which he 
 had collected from among the sea of ashes. 
 It answered the purpose required, and in 
 about an hour and a half the treasure-seekers 
 again descended into the cave. The ladder 
 was lowered immediately into the second 
 hole. Johnson went down with a rope, 
 which he looped round the snake. With 
 considerable difficulty the huge reptile was 
 at last drawn up. Then Johnson again 
 descended, accompanied this time by Murray. 
 Cameron stood at the top, holding a torch 
 in each hand. Ten large boxes were dis- 
 covered, fastened only by catches. The top 
 one was opened and found to be more than 
 half full of rupees. Murray and Johnson 
 filled their pockets and helmets with the 
 money, for it was impossible for them to 
 384 
 
The Treasure 
 
 hoist up the boxes. Many descents were 
 made by all three before the first box was 
 emptied. The next five boxes were full to 
 the brim of similar coin. The seventh box 
 contained hundreds of peacock rupees, the 
 coin issued by the King of Burma. The 
 two remaining boxes, enormously large ones, 
 contained no money, but nevertheless their 
 contents were more valuable than rupees. 
 There were six or seven hundred splen- 
 did rubies, gold ear-tubes, gold bracelets 
 and anklets, jewelled betel-cutters, pearl 
 necklace, gold and silver betel boxes, 
 jewelled tweezers, and even two gold re- 
 peaters. Moreover, there was a large num- 
 ber of beautiful gold chains, which had 
 evidently belonged to some of King Thee- 
 baw's ministers. 
 
 When at length the whole of the treasure 
 had been brought up and piled on the floor 
 of the upper cave Cameron, Murray, and 
 Johnson sat down to rest. 
 
 " What is the value of it ? " Murray asked, 
 385 
 
The Dae oil's Treasure 
 
 after they had gazed for some time at their 
 magnificent pile of treasure. 
 
 ",£20,000 at the very least," Cameron 
 answered in a tone of conviction. 
 
 "Then," said Murray, "we can certainly 
 afford some tea." 
 
 Johnson opened the parcel of provisions 
 which Po Se had generously given them, 
 and in a short time the Englishmen were 
 enjoying a mug of fragrant tea. Then they 
 lit their cheroots and discussed what should 
 be their next step. Finally they decided to 
 pass the night in the cave and pack the 
 treasure the following day. Over the entrance 
 they artfully placed a number of half-burnt 
 branches, which concealed it without inter- 
 fering with the ventilation. Then they hauled 
 up from the lower cave several boxes to sleep 
 on. They were far from being comfort- 
 able when they lay down, but nevertheless 
 managed to sleep soundly. Johnson was the 
 first to awake. He was aroused by a crash 
 of thunder. He sat up on his box and 
 386 
 
The Treasure 
 
 listened. The sound of water puzzled him, 
 for he could not at first remember where he 
 was. Then a flash of lightning illuminated 
 the cave and revealed to him a tremendous 
 torrent of water pouring in at the entrance. 
 He jumped from his box and shook Cameron 
 and Murray roughly. They awoke instantly, 
 wondering what had happened. Johnson 
 speedily lighted a torch. When he raised 
 it aloft a cry of astonishment escaped each 
 of the Englishmen, for the treasure for which 
 they had run such risks had disappeared ! 
 Near where they had left it was a big hole. 
 The water rushed through the cave and 
 streamed out at this opening, through which 
 the treasure had evidently been washed away. 
 And this hole opened into the side of the 
 precipice. 
 
 387 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 A SHEAF OF SURPRISES 
 
 T~^OR a minute or so Cameron, Murray, 
 and Johnson gazed helplessly at the 
 hole in the corner of the cave. But to lose 
 the treasure in such an undreamed-of manner 
 was a misfortune calculated to excite the 
 most phlegmatic of mortals, and the English- 
 men were soon relieving their feelings by 
 growling, with true British fervour, at their 
 tremendously bad luck. 
 
 " What I can't understand," said Murray, 
 a little later, " is how it was we did not 
 notice that blessed hole yesterday." 
 
 "It must have been a very small one," 
 Cameron answered, "until the torrent en- 
 larged it. As a matter of fact I suppose we 
 388 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 ought to be very thankful that the hole was 
 there. Had it not been we should, in all 
 probability, have been drowned." 
 
 Murray and Johnson evidently considered 
 that was very poor consolation. Johnson 
 candidly declared that he wished their lives 
 had been in danger. "If," said he, "we 
 had suddenly found ourselves in the water 
 we could have struggled for our lives and 
 got away in safety. The treasure in this 
 cave full of water would have been more use 
 to us than at the bottom of the precipice." 
 
 "Perhaps," said Murray, "it is not yet 
 too late to save a few of the things. Let 
 us wade in and see if we can discover 
 anything." 
 
 Climbing down from their boxes, they 
 groped about in the water for nearly a 
 quarter of an hour, but all they rescued 
 was one or two idols. Murray and Johnson 
 were anxious to prolong the search, but 
 Cameron strongly protested against such 
 folly, declaring that already they had been 
 389 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 in the water long enough to get a stiff dose 
 of fever. So they returned to the top of 
 their boxes and sat in silence listening to the 
 storm. The thunder was terrific, the light- 
 ning unusually vivid, and the amount of 
 water in the cave increased so rapidly that 
 the Englishmen's position began to look 
 somewhat perilous. But just when things 
 were getting desperate the storm suddenly 
 ceased, and in a short time the stream pour- 
 ing into the cave began slowly to decrease 
 in volume. Then the weary and dispirited 
 travellers lay down once more on their rough 
 beds and fell asleep. 
 
 It was nearly nine o'clock in the morning 
 when Cameron awoke and aroused his com- 
 panions. The sun was shining fiercely into 
 the cave, and a line of mud, already dry, was 
 all that remained of the deluge. Hurriedly 
 jumping from their boxes, the Englishmen 
 commenced another search, and discovered 
 embedded in the mud eleven rubies and 
 about fifty rupees. These, with a few idols, 
 390 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 bells, and other cumbersome articles, were 
 all that remained of the huge and valuable 
 pile of treasure which had rejoiced their 
 hearts on the previous day. It was some 
 consolation, however, to find that their pro- 
 visions, which had been placed on one of the 
 boxes, were safe. In a spirit of recklessness 
 they prepared the most luxurious breakfast 
 their provisions would permit. The meal 
 had an excellent effect upon the travellers. 
 Their drooping spirits revived, and with 
 fresh energy they began to discuss the possi- 
 bility of being able to recover some of the 
 treasure. Cameron suggested that they 
 should return to Po Se's native village and 
 travel along at the foot of the precipice until 
 they came to the spot where the treasure 
 had fallen. But Johnson reminded him that 
 there was a deep and rapid river running at 
 the bottom of the precipice, and the treasure 
 must have fallen into it. 
 
 Convinced at last of the unlikelihood of 
 being able to recover any more of the trea- 
 39i 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 sure, they discussed for some time what their 
 next move should be. Finally they decided 
 to remain at the Sunrise Pagoda until the 
 military force arrived. Soon after they had 
 come to that decision they made a discovery. 
 Strolling along near the edge of the preci- 
 pice Cameron stumbled over a big iron 
 chain. It was attached to a stake, and at 
 the other end was a large hook. Ashes had 
 been placed over the length of the chain, 
 evidently to conceal it. 
 
 "This," said Murray, " must be the chain 
 by which the people of Po Se's village lower 
 food to the hermit. I had quite forgotten 
 that interesting individual. I mean to see 
 if I can't catch a glimpse of the old boy." 
 
 He went down on his hands and knees 
 and crawled to the edge of the precipice. 
 After gazing over for a few moments he 
 turned slightly round and beckoned excitedly 
 to Cameron and Johnson. They promptly 
 crawled to the brink, and, peeping over, saw 
 what they little expected. On a ledge about 
 39 2 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 two hundred feet below them stood Edith 
 Clarence and Mah Noo ! 
 
 Murray called Mah Noo by name. The 
 girls looked up instantly, and, seeing the 
 three faces, waved their hands delightedly. 
 
 " Are you alone ? " Murray shouted. 
 
 " Quite," Mah Noo replied. 
 
 "How did you get there ? " 
 
 "We were put here at Po Thaw's order. 
 His men lowered us by ropes and chains. 
 Do, please, rescue us quickly, for we've been 
 here for several days, and it is horribly 
 dull." 
 
 " We will haul you up as quickly as 
 possible." 
 
 "Can't one of you come down to us," 
 Edith Clarence joined in. " We have a 
 most wonderful sight to show you. The 
 ground further on is covered with rubies, 
 money, and all kinds of valuable jewellery. 
 It wasn't there when we went to sleep last 
 night, but when we came out this morning 
 there was a big hole in the side of the 
 393 
 
The Dacotfs Treasure 
 
 precipice, and I think the rain must have 
 washed the things out of it." 
 
 Cameron, Murray, and Johnson could 
 scarcely restrain a cheer. 
 
 Cameron called out, " It is the phoongyees 
 treasure that we told you about. We dis- 
 covered it, but the rain washed it away last 
 night, and we thought we had lost it. 
 How far is the hole from where you are 
 standing ? " 
 
 "About twelve feet." 
 
 " In that case," Murray said to Cameron 
 and Johnson, " it will be safer for us to 
 enlarge the hole in the cave and get them 
 up that way." 
 
 " Perhaps the ladies would feel safer, sir, 
 if one of us was down there," Johnson said. 
 " I'll go if you'll lower me and send a ladder 
 after me. I'll start enlarging the hole and 
 working towards you in the cave." 
 
 " A good idea," said Murray, and Cameron 
 fully agreed with him. 
 
 So, after the chain had been subjected to 
 394 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 some severe tests, Johnson was lowered in 
 safety, and hurried at once to see the hole. 
 In a few minutes he returned and called up, 
 " It is smaller this side than in the cave, but 
 I don't think you'll have any difficulty in 
 breaking through. I've just had a look at 
 the treasure, and I believe it's all there." 
 
 A little later a ladder and a matchlock 
 were lowered to Johnson, who quickly set 
 to work to enlarge the hole, using the butt 
 end of his musket for that purpose. In the 
 cave Cameron and Murray worked with 
 desperate energy, and in a little over an 
 hour they were able to crawl through and 
 climb down to the ladies. After a general 
 hand-shaking and a glance at the treasure 
 laying scattered about the ledge, Murray 
 asked Mah Noo if she had any idea why 
 Po Thaw placed them in such an out-of- 
 the-way place." 
 
 " For safety, he told us," she replied; "but 
 it was not at all the kind of safety we appre- 
 ciated. He wanted to prevent our being 
 395 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 rescued by the troops sent to defeat him. 
 An hour or two after he had promised not 
 to crucify you he came to Edith and me and 
 declared that he had given all three of you 
 your liberty. I very much doubted the 
 truth of that, especially as he concluded the 
 tale of his clemency by urging Edith and me 
 to become his wives. Our indignant refusal 
 aroused his anger. Fortunately for us the 
 news of the rapid advance of the British 
 troops reached him almost at the same time. 
 He gave the order for immediate flight. 
 Edith and I were placed in doolies and 
 carried quickly through the jungle. When 
 we had travelled some miles Po Thaw came 
 to us and again asked us to become his 
 wives. He used threats this time, but still 
 we treated him with scorn. Then he grew 
 half mad with rage, and said that we should 
 never marry white men. He also said that 
 all three of you had Burmese wives. We 
 smiled, and he vowed we should see for our- 
 selves. The following morning we were 
 39 6 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 carried to a leper village, and the poor 
 afflicted people hobbled or crawled away 
 in terror when they saw Po Thaw. He 
 asked where the white men were, and when 
 he heard that you had escaped he behaved 
 like a demon. He burned the village to the 
 ground, and every one of the lepers perished 
 in the flames. A few hours later Po Thaw 
 told us that as he had to drive back the 
 white soldiers who had dared to come after 
 him, he would put us in a place of safety 
 until he had defeated them. He explained 
 that we should live in a hermit's cave, where 
 we would be well fed by the pious Buddhists, 
 if we did not show ourselves. If, however, 
 we were seen to be living in the hermit's 
 cave they would certainly kill us. The 
 hermit had been dead many years — slain by 
 his hand — but the people still thought he 
 lived. Po Thaw also declared that he him- 
 self had stayed there for months at a time 
 when hiding from his enemies. So we were 
 lowered down here and a stock of food given 
 397 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 us. Po Thaw's last words were that directly 
 he had defeated the kalas he would return 
 and compel us to be his wives. Every day 
 food has been lowered to us. To-day we 
 decided to make ourselves known to the 
 person who provided it, believing, in spite 
 of what Po Thaw had told us, that such a 
 charitable individual would hardly treat us 
 badly. At any rate, our prospects could 
 scarcely be made more hopeless." 
 
 Murray was considerably relieved to find 
 that Mah Noo knew nothing of the terrible 
 ordeal to which Po Thaw had subjected him 
 and his comrades while in the leper village. 
 For fear that she might, however, ask some 
 questions about their horrible captivity, he 
 cleverly changed the conversation from the 
 gloomy events of the past to rose-tinted 
 plans for the future. 
 
 A few yards away were Edith Clarence 
 and Cameron. They were supremely happy, 
 for Cameron had without the slightest pre- 
 amble told Edith that he loved her, and that 
 39* 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 his one great desire was that she would 
 promise to be his wife, and she had given 
 the promise without the least hesitation. 
 
 The good news was promptly communi- 
 cated to Mah Noo and Murray, who re- 
 ceived it with expressions of surprise and 
 delight, the latter as genuine as the former 
 was feigned. Johnson, feeling that under 
 the circumstances his presence might be 
 embarrassing, suggested that he should get 
 some of the boxes from the cave and pack 
 up the treasure. 
 
 f* We mustn't forget the treasure on any 
 account," Mah Noo exclaimed, cutting short 
 Murray's poetical description of what their 
 future life was to be. "Not that I am par- 
 ticularly mercenary," she explained, " but I 
 consider it would be positively wicked not to 
 secure the treasure after all your adventures 
 in search of it." 
 
 " We've found far greater treasures than 
 ever we expected," Cameron declared, look- 
 ing sentimentally at Edith. 
 
 399 *5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 At the moment Murray uttered almost 
 exactly the same words, but of course his 
 gaze was directed to Mah Noo. 
 
 Cameron and Murray each felt that the 
 compliment was completely spoilt by the 
 other man uttering it and making it appear 
 so horribly unoriginal. It sounded so much 
 as if they had purloined a compliment from a 
 book they had both recently read. 
 
 Edith and Mah Noo laughed good- 
 humouredly, and then made a move towards 
 the treasure. A rapid inspection of it con- 
 vinced Cameron and Murray that little, if 
 any, of their valuables had been lost, the 
 ledge, sloping upwards from the precipice, 
 having prevented the treasure from being 
 washed away. 
 
 The boxes were speedily drawn out, and 
 the work of filling them commenced imme- 
 diately. In a quarter of an hour the energy 
 of the lady packers began to palpably 
 diminish. Johnson therefore suggested that 
 he should -finish the packing while the other 
 400 
 
A 'Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 four rested. After some demur Cameron 
 and Murray acted on the suggestion, and left 
 Johnson to finish the task unaided. He 
 worked away admirably, and had already 
 filled seven boxes when he heard a falling 
 of stones. He looked round quickly just as 
 a tiger sprang from the hole in the cave on 
 to the ledge between him and the rest of the 
 party. Cameron, Murray, and the ladies 
 neither saw nor heard the animal. Their 
 backs were towards it. But the tiger saw 
 them, and stood motionless, glaring at them. 
 Johnson, who was behind it, was unnoticed. 
 For a moment he was at a loss what to do, 
 as a dak was the only weapon he had. The 
 tiger moved a step. Johnson sprang towards 
 the animal and dealt it a tremendous cut on 
 the neck. 
 
 In a moment the wounded animal was 
 facing him. It was about to spring when 
 suddenly its strength failed, it fell forward, 
 rolled over the ledge, and hung to the brink 
 by its fore claws. Johnson dealt it another 
 4°3 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 fearful cut, whereupon it released its hold 
 and disappeared into space. 
 
 Everything occurred so quickly that 
 Cameron, Murray, and the ladies only saw 
 the final incident. Johnson, in answer to 
 their eager inquiries, told them what had 
 happened, modestly omitting, however, any- 
 thing that would acquaint them with the fact 
 that he had in all probability saved the life 
 of at least one of them. Nevertheless, 
 they warmly praised him for what they had 
 seen him do. Praise from two such charming 
 ladies as Edith Clarence and Mah Noo made 
 him very happy. He felt, however, that he 
 was blushing, and hurriedly returned to the 
 packing. Cameron and Murray assisted 
 him, while the ladies busied themselves in 
 preparing a meal. By the time it was ready 
 all the treasure, with the exception of some 
 large articles, had been packed and the boxes 
 firmly secured with the big iron chain 
 formerly used for lowering food to the 
 hermit. 
 
 404 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 The meal was the best that the men had 
 tasted for some considerable time, and their 
 praises of the ladies' culinary skill were many 
 and sincere. Murray commenced to make a 
 speech, but it came to an abrupt conclusion 
 on their hearing a noise in the cave. The 
 men sprang to their feet dak in hand. Edith 
 and Mah Noo trembled but did not utter 
 a word. They expected another tiger to 
 appear, but to their astonishment an English 
 officer scrambled out of the hole and dropped 
 on to the ledge. Rapidly drawing his sword 
 he glanced around him, but his surprise was 
 considerable on seeing the party of five. In 
 a moment his face beamed with pleasure. 
 He saluted the ladies, returned the sword to 
 its scabbard, and ordered the men who had 
 closely followed him to retire. Then he held 
 out his hand to Cameron. 
 
 " How are you ? " he asked. " I gave you 
 and Mr. Murray up for lost long ago." 
 
 Directly the officer spoke Cameron and 
 Murray recognised Lieutenant Brown. He 
 4°5 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 had grown a big black beard, which vastly 
 altered his appearance. 
 
 " Haven't had a chance to shave for an 
 age," he declared, as he shook hands with 
 Cameron and Murray. "We've been dash- 
 ing after that fellow Po Thaw night and day 
 for I don't know how long. I made sure 
 that I had run the scoundrel to ground 
 here." 
 
 Cameron introduced him to Edith Clarence 
 and Mah Noo. He hadn't spoken to, or 
 even seen a European lady for nearly a year, 
 but he was soon quite at his ease and deeply 
 interested in all they told him about Po 
 Thaw. 
 
 Suddenly he turned to Cameron and 
 Murray. "How about the treasure?" he 
 asked. " Have you seen anything of it 
 yet?" 
 
 "We have found it," Cameron replied 
 " It is packed away in those boxes." 
 
 Brown was evidently greatly surprised. 
 " You're wonderfully lucky fellows," he 
 406 
 
A Sheaf of Surprises 
 
 declared a minute or two later. " You have 
 escaped numerous deaths of a particularly 
 awful description to which you were sen- 
 tenced ; you have discovered treasure whose 
 existence sounded to me very much like a 
 cock-and-bull story ; and, finally, you enjoy 
 ladies' society when your fellow-countrymen 
 are firmly convinced that a lady is rarer in 
 these parts than a white elephant. But I'm 
 not going to let you fellows, especially as you 
 have ladies in your charge, run any more 
 risks. You must come with me. Leave 
 your treasure where it is, and when Po Thaw 
 is in our hands you will be able to remove it 
 at your leisure. We have a very strong 
 force now, and Po Thaw's career is as good 
 as ended." 
 
 Cameron and Murray readily accepted 
 Mr. Brown's invitation to put themselves 
 under his protection. Without wasting any 
 time they ascended into the cave and up 
 again into the open. The soldiers were 
 wonderfully surprised when they saw the 
 4°7 ' 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 ladies, and plied Johnson with questions 
 directly they had an opportunity. He related 
 all their adventures since he last saw them, 
 and saddened them by his account of how 
 they were separated from Tha Bu and Mah 
 Shway O. And in return the soldiers told 
 Johnson of their rapid night marches, of 
 their brushes with the dacoits, of the men 
 they had sewn up in their blankets and buried 
 in the jungle, and of the various brave deeds 
 performed by their officers and comrades. 
 
 408 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 RETRIBUTION 
 
 j SHOULD advise you," said Brown to 
 J- Cameron and Murray as the advance 
 was resumed, "not to say anything about the 
 treasure you have found. I don't know, but 
 I have a faint idea that there is some order 
 concerning treasure-trove which might prove 
 a confounded nuisance to you." 
 
 " You forgot," Murray pointed out, " that 
 this treasure was given to us and is not, in 
 the general acceptation of the term, treasure- 
 trove. I maintain that we have a perfect 
 right to accept the phoongyee s present, and I 
 would contest to the bitter end any endeavours 
 to deprive us of it. However, to save all 
 possible bother, I will take care that nothing 
 409 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 is said about it to your brother officers or 
 men." 
 
 Murray therefore immediately asked Edith 
 Clarence, Mah Noo, and Johnson to keep 
 the treasure a profound secret. 
 
 Mr. Brown's little force was now pushing 
 on rapidly. They had traversed some 
 distance of fire-devastated ground, and were 
 just approaching the untouched jungle, when 
 they heard the dacoits' war-cry. The next 
 moment a horde of men rushed out of the 
 jungle to meet the soldiers. At their head, and 
 waving them forward, was a diminutive bo, 
 who seemed determined to win or die. It 
 was very evident that he was responsible for 
 the unwise change in the dacoits' tactics. 
 He was a perfect little fury, and his men 
 appeared to have caught some of his reckless- 
 ness. Regardless of the volley that thinned 
 their crowd, they dashed madly to their 
 doom. Hastily forming a strong guard 
 round Edith Clarence and Mah Noo, Brown 
 rushed to the front of his men and led a 
 410 
 
Retribution 
 
 charge. The dacoits fought desperately, but 
 the result of the fight was never for a moment 
 in doubt. The plucky little bo fell wounded 
 and was taken prisoner. Seeing this his 
 followers at once sought their own safety 
 in flight. 
 
 The prisoner's wound was immediately 
 attended to. The rank and file were loud in 
 their praises of the little fellow's courage. 
 They crowded round to have a look at him, 
 but their admiration turned to horror and 
 pity when they discovered that the valiant 
 little leader was a woman dressed in man's 
 clothes. Many of the English soldiers who 
 had fired at her burst into tears, each 
 fearing that it was his bullet which had 
 laid her low. 
 
 The very moment Edith and Mah Noo 
 heard the news they hurried to the little 
 prisoner and did all they could for her. She 
 was very grateful for their attention, and told 
 Mah Noo not to be so sad because she was 
 dying. She was very happy ; she had led a 
 4 11 
 
The Dacoit's Treasure 
 
 meritorious life, and possibly in her next 
 existence she would be a man. 
 
 Then Mah Noo asked her why she had 
 dressed as a man and fought the soldiers of 
 the Good White Queen. 
 
 She smiled pleasantly and said : "I will 
 tell you gladly, so that you may not consider 
 me a miserable woman who wished to make 
 people think she was as brave as a man. 
 When I was a little girl my playfellow was 
 Po Thaw. Our huts stood side by side, and 
 from daybreak to sunset we romped together 
 in the dusty road. I was very proud of Po 
 Thaw, for his kites were the best in our 
 village, and no boy could equal him at foot- 
 ball or boxing. Then he went to the 
 monastery, and for many months I did not 
 see him. But when he returned he was the 
 biggest and strongest man in the village. 
 And he said that I was the prettiest girl he 
 had ever seen and that he loved me. I was 
 very happy ; every evening we sat together 
 on the pagoda steps and talked of the days 
 412 
 
Retribution 
 
 when we should have a hut of our own to 
 live in. We used to sit there until the 
 evening breeze made the pagoda bells tinkle 
 sweetly, and the fireflies sparkled in every 
 bush. But at last Po Thaw went to Mandalay, 
 and I did not see him again for more than a 
 year. When he returned he said he would 
 soon be a great man and that I should be 
 the happiest lady in Burma. He gave me 
 beautiful bracelets and anklets to wear, and 
 valuable ear-tubes for my mother. I asked 
 him how he earned the money to buy all 
 these things. He laughed and said he was 
 a dacoit bo. I fell to the ground and for 
 many minutes knew nothing. But when I 
 recovered I begged Po Thaw to cease from 
 being a dacoit and become a farmer. He 
 would not, and although I loved him my 
 heart was very sad. I would not wear the 
 jewellery he gave me, and made him promise 
 not to send me any more. After many 
 months I told Po Thaw that the village 
 people said he was not very eager to marry 
 4*3 
 
The Dacoifs Treaszire 
 
 me. He told me not to heed what they said. 
 Directly he was famous and rich he would 
 tell my father to send out the packets of 
 pickled tea. Again Po Thaw went away 
 for many months. People told me that he 
 was very cruel and killed women and 
 children, but I heeded them not. Later, 
 they said he loved a woman in whose veins 
 the blood of Alompra flowed, and that she 
 was to be his wife. I laughed at them, but 
 my heart was, oh, so sad. At last even I 
 thought Po Thaw had quite forgotten me, 
 but I was wrong. A day or two ago a 
 messenger came to me. He said : ' The 
 brave Po Thaw is for a time sorely pressed 
 by the white kalas. His followers, foolishly 
 thinking that his days of power are drawing 
 to an end, are disheartened and wish to 
 retreat quickly. But Po Thaw is determined 
 to drive the white dogs from the land, and if 
 he had more men with him he could easily 
 exterminate the soldiers that are pursuing 
 him. If they were killed, all the white men 
 414 
 
Retribution 
 
 would quickly leave Mandalay and Rangoon 
 in terror, and Po Thaw would become King 
 of Burma. To bring about these things and 
 to make you his Queen, he begs you to urge 
 all the men of your village to join him and 
 share in the plunder of the white kalas 
 houses.' And the messenger told me that 
 Po Thaw longed to see me again, for I was 
 in his thoughts day and night. I repeated 
 to the village lads what the messenger had 
 said, but they were not anxious to join Po 
 Thaw. They disliked him because I loved 
 him. Then I said, ' Give me a man's lungyi, 
 a turban, and a dak and I will start at once 
 to join Po Thaw.' They made no reply, but 
 as I quitted the village they quietly picked 
 up their daks, brought their rifles from their 
 hiding-places, and followed me. I did not 
 expect to meet Po Thaw's enemies until after 
 I had joined the bo, but, when I heard that 
 they were near, I thought it would be an 
 excellent thing to suddenly fall upon them 
 and destroy them and thereby win Po Thaw's 
 4i5 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 gratitude. But now I shall never see him 
 again, and when he has driven the white 
 kolas from the land he will marry the girl in 
 whose veins the blood of Alompra flows." 
 
 " No," Mah Noo declared soothingly, 
 "he will never marry her," but the 
 wounded girl did not hear her ; she had 
 become unconscious. A quarter of an hour 
 later she died. She was buried near where 
 she had fallen, and the sympathetic soldiers 
 marked the spot with a large cross of stones. 
 Her story, re-told by Mah Noo, increased 
 the men's hatred for Po Thaw. 
 
 After marching for little more than an 
 hour, Mr. Brown's party joined the main 
 body. The arrival of the ladies created 
 considerable excitement and interest, which 
 increased when it became known that they 
 had been prisoners of Po Thaw. The 
 officer in command congratulated them on 
 their escape, and publicly thanked Mah 
 Noo for having, at great risk to herself, 
 sent notices to Lieutenants Brown and 
 416 
 
Retribution 
 
 Mills of the bos movements. Cameron, 
 Murray, and Johnson were, at their own 
 desire, attached to Brown's company. 
 
 The force continued to advance cautiously 
 for a mile or so, until reaching an open 
 space near a rapid river, where they 
 bivouacked. An hour before daybreak a 
 comforting meal was hastily served out, 
 the last which many of the men would 
 ever taste. Then the advance began. For 
 nearly half an hour nothing was heard but 
 the tramp of the men. Occasionally the 
 sound of a long-drawn breath would 
 escape some young soldier unable to 
 conceal his intense excitement. At last 
 the order to lie down was given ; Po 
 Thaw's stronghold was only a few hundred 
 yards away. It was the most formidable 
 stockade in the land. It was built on the 
 top of a steep hill, and composed of 
 huge logs of wood piled up in two 
 lines. At the foot of the hill was a 
 swollen stream. A narrow, winding path 
 417 *5 
 
The Dacoifs Treastire 
 
 led from the water to the stockade. A 
 dense jungle, utterly impenetrable except 
 by the few paths known only to the 
 dacoits, protected the stockade at the 
 rear. It was decided to attempt to carry 
 the place at the point of the bayonet. 
 The command was given, and the attacking 
 party crept rapidly but quietly towards the 
 stream, taking advantage of every bit of 
 cover. In complete ignorance of the 
 depth of the stream, the officers, closely 
 followed by their men, dashed into it and 
 struggled through. A fierce fire was 
 poured into them, and several were killed 
 on the spot. Others were wounded and, 
 falling back into the stream, were drowned. 
 But their comrades never hesitated for a 
 moment. Every man was anxious for the 
 honour of being first into the stockade. 
 Lieutenant Mills, who had led the dash 
 up the winding path, gained the distinc- 
 tion, but a few moments later he was 
 flung back, mortally wounded, among his 
 418 
 
Retribution 
 
 men. The dacoits defended that point 
 admirably, and for a time every man who 
 scaled the stockade was instantly killed. 
 On the other two sides of the stronghold 
 the attackers were endeavouring to enter 
 the enclosure by means of bamboo ladders. 
 Almost simultaneously Brown, Johnson, and 
 two privates jumped down among the 
 dacoits. A rush was made upon them, but 
 Brown emptied his revolver with deadly 
 effect ; and his companions in danger 
 fought desperately. Murray, Cameron, and 
 a score of regulars soon came to their 
 assistance, but still the defenders numbered 
 about ten to every one of the attackers. 
 The fight was a most stubborn one, and 
 had the dacoits not fired erratically in 
 their great excitement, the Englishmen 
 inside the stockade would certainly have 
 fared badly. The scaling ladders had been 
 rendered useless by the defenders, and for 
 a time it seemed as if no more Englishmen 
 would effect an entry. But suddenly there 
 419 
 
The Dacoits Treasure 
 
 was an explosion. A dragon-shaped 
 cannon, which formerly belonged to King 
 Theebaw, had exploded, killing the dacoits 
 who were working it, and making a large 
 hole in the stockade. With a ringing cheer, 
 the British soldiers scrambled through the 
 opening, and promptly brought their bayonets 
 into play. Johnson, even when hard pressed, 
 was on the look out for Po Thaw. He saw 
 him two or three times, but could not get 
 near him. Now that they were relieved, he 
 again looked out for him. He saw him 
 stealthily advancing to attack Murray in 
 the back. Ignoring the other dacoits, 
 Johnson rushed to defend his master. Po 
 Thaw turned to meet him. Both were 
 armed with daks, and for a minute or so 
 neither could gain an advantage. Po Thaw 
 dealt some terrific slashes, but Johnson 
 coolly warded them off. The longer the 
 fight continued, the more desperate the bo 
 became, but finally Johnson saw his oppor- 
 tunity, and took advantage of it. With a 
 420 
 
Retribution 
 
 quick back cut he wounded Po Thaw on 
 the shoulder. To Johnson's intense disgust, 
 the infamous dacoit dashed away towards 
 the jungle. It was probably the fear of 
 being taken prisoner that caused him to 
 run away. 
 
 "Shoot that man!" Johnson shouted. 
 "He's Po Thaw!" But in the uproar no 
 one heard or noticed him, and the bo 
 escaped. Johnson could not follow him, 
 as the blood was gushing from a wound 
 in his leg that he received directly he got 
 into the stockade. 
 
 A minute or two later the dacoits, with 
 one accord, rushed for the jungle. Some 
 reached it, but a large proportion were 
 killed. The almost impenetrable nature of 
 the jungle at the rear of the stockade 
 made pursuit impossible, so the work of 
 completely destroying the captured strong- 
 hold was at once commenced, and expedi- 
 tiously carried out. The wounded were 
 promptly attended to, and the dead buried. 
 421 
 
The Dae oil's Treasure 
 
 It was a gallant victory the soldiers had 
 won, but England had lost many noble 
 sons. Their real worth and brave deeds 
 were little known beyond Rangoon. 
 
 Edith and Mah Noo rendered the surgeon 
 great assistance, and many rough fellows 
 blessed them with their dying breath. 
 
 Po Thaw's escape was greatly deplored 
 by all ranks. Every man longed for his 
 death, for they had seen so many victims 
 of his fiendish cruelty. An hour after the 
 last of the killed had been buried, the force 
 retraced its steps towards the Sunrise 
 Pagoda, where the officer in command 
 had decided to bivouac. The whole of 
 the inhabitants of Po Se's village were 
 awaiting the soldiers. They had heard of 
 the dacoits' defeat, and had climbed up the 
 precipice to express their delight to the 
 victors. They fraternised with the soldiers 
 and the women recommended various extra- 
 ordinary concoctions for the cure of wounded 
 arms and legs. The same medicine, they 
 422 
 
Retribution 
 
 explained, wouldn't cure both, so the soldiers 
 thanked them for their kind offer, but decided 
 to put their trust in the regimental doctor. 
 
 To celebrate their victory, and to dispel all 
 gloomy thoughts, the commanding officer 
 issued orders for a smokina--concert, and 
 invited the villagers to be present. They 
 accepted the invitation with alacrity, and 
 promptly despatched several of their number 
 to fetch their band instruments. The 
 soldiers were delighted at the prospect of 
 a merry evening, and made great prepara- 
 tions for it. A canopy was erected over the 
 spot where the performers were to stand, 
 and comfortable seats, fashioned out of 
 biscuit tins, were made for Edith and Mah 
 Noo. The commanding officer took the 
 chair at five o'clock, and song followed song 
 in rapid succession. Then a soldier recited 
 an exceedingly sentimental piece. The 
 songs had all been accompanied by the 
 regimental band, and the Burmese were 
 astonished that no music was being played 
 423 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 while the reciter performed. Evidently they 
 considered that he was being treated unfairly, 
 as they suddenly started their own energetic, 
 but unmelodious music. The soldiers roared 
 with laughter. The Burmese took it as a 
 compliment and played all the louder, where- 
 upon the reciter beat a hasty retreat. 
 
 The concert had continued for two hours, 
 and there was every prospect of its lasting 
 for another two, when a sentry announced 
 the approach of a stranger. Every one 
 looked in the direction indicated, and saw 
 an excited Burman running quickly towards 
 them, holding in one hand a dirty bundle. 
 He was evidently disposed to ignore the 
 sentry's challenge and proceed straight to 
 the merry-making crowd, but the soldiers 
 barred his way. The new comer was very 
 indignant, and astonished all within reach of 
 his voice by declaring, in excellent English, 
 " Insignificant men, possessed of trivial 
 authority, delight in exercising it on every 
 possible occasion." 
 
 424 
 
Retribution 
 
 " It's Tha Bu ! " Johnson exclaimed, 
 springing to his feet. 
 
 In a moment or two he was grasping his 
 old friend's hand. It would be hard to say 
 which was the more delighted at the meet- 
 ing, the Englishman or the Burman. Then 
 the soldiers who knew the guide crowded 
 round and warmly welcomed him. Pre- 
 sently one of them asked, " Where is Mah 
 Shway O ? " 
 
 Tha Bu's face clouded. " She is dead," 
 he replied sadly. " She died four hours after 
 the cowardly Po Thaw left us in the jungle. 
 She was a good wife, and dearer to me than 
 twenty sons and sixty daughters. My own 
 wound was very painful, but the hope of 
 revenge gave me strength to bear it. I said 
 to myself : ' The tree struck by lightning- 
 will regain its vigour and flourish long after 
 the stronger tree has been blown to the 
 ground and utterly destroyed.' And I 
 spoke words of wisdom, for I am alive and 
 Po Thaw is dead." 
 
 425 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 " Dead ? " a score of voices echoed. 
 
 " Yes," Tha Bu answered — " dead." And 
 as he spoke he rapidly untied his dirty 
 bundle, and the livid head of Po Thaw rolled 
 out. He seized it by the hair and held it 
 aloft, so that all might see it. 
 
 The soldiers, directly they were assured 
 that it was Po Thaw's head, burst into a 
 hearty cheer. The peaceful villagers 
 beamed with delight and capered about 
 for joy. 
 
 " Perhaps," Tha Bu said, in a loud voice, 
 " the white lords would like to hear how I 
 killed this vile creature." 
 
 " We should," Cameron answered, where- 
 upon the Burman continued, " When I had 
 buried my good Mah Shway O, I started off 
 to find Po Thaw. My wound prevented me 
 from travelling very quickly; nevertheless, I 
 discovered, after four or five days' search, 
 where he was. From then I watched him 
 day and night, seeking a favourable oppor- 
 tunity to kill him. This morning I stood 
 426 
 
Ret7'ibution 
 
 hidden away in the jungle at the rear of the 
 stockade watching the fight, and fearing that 
 one of my honoured friends, the white lords, 
 would rob me of my vengeance. When 
 Po Thaw fled from the warm-hearted Mr. 
 Johnson I followed him. The blood poured 
 from his shoulder, but, like a wounded ele- 
 phant, he went rushing on and on. None of 
 his men were near him, and I was the only 
 person who saw him disappear beneath a big 
 bush. In the centre of that bush was a little 
 hut completely hidden from view. The vile 
 dog, no doubt, had many such hiding-places. 
 When I was certain that Po Thaw was 
 asleep I entered and cut off his head. I did 
 not do it with one blow, for I wanted him to 
 see who it was that was brinoqn^ his vile life 
 to an end. The first cut I gave him was a 
 slight one. He opened his eyes and re- 
 cognised me ; he tried to rise, but I used my 
 dak with all the strength that hatred could 
 give, and the next moment he was dead. 
 And now I have brought his vile head to 
 427 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the white lords, so that I may receive the 
 reward of R.S5000 offered for it. With the 
 money I shall erect on the spot where my 
 sweet Mah Shway O died a beautiful 
 pagoda." 
 
 When the officer in command had satisfied 
 himself that the grim object before him was 
 indeed the head of Po Thaw, he gave Tha 
 Bu a receipt for it, which could be converted 
 into cash at Rangoon or Mandalay. The 
 head was immediately buried. 
 
 There was great rejoicing in the camp at 
 the death of the infamous dacoit bo, but 
 Tha Bu, much to his surprise, did not re- 
 ceive great praise for his deed. Some of 
 the soldiers told him plainly that he had 
 killed the bo in a cowardly fashion. He was 
 very indignant. 
 
 " Men possessed of wisdom," he replied 
 haughtily, "consider their words before 
 uttering them, but fools speak instantly, 
 whether their words be just or not. Po 
 Thaw was a crafty man, and to bring about 
 428 
 
Retribution 
 
 his death it was necessary that I should be 
 crafty also. I am very proud of my action, 
 and in the days to come the poets will sing 
 of Tha Bu, the slayer of Po Thaw." 
 
 From his critics Tha Bu proceeded to 
 Cameron. " My lord," he said, " my en- 
 gagement with you does not expire until you 
 are back in Mandalay. I regret that I have 
 been absent from my duties, bu£ the time 
 has been well spent, for I have removed 
 from your path an obstacle that was greater 
 than thirty precipices and sixty mighty 
 rivers." 
 
 Cameron bestowed some praise upon him, 
 and the worthy Burman returned to the 
 soldiers in excellent spirits. 
 
 For six days the force remained near the 
 Sunrise Pagoda. Every day the jungle was 
 scoured for miles, and many dacoits were 
 torn from their hiding-places. One of Po 
 Thaw's scarred lieutenants, anxious to save 
 his own life, divulged the place where most 
 of the dacoits' plunder was concealed. It 
 429 
 
The Dacoit's Treastcre 
 
 was promptly seized, and found to be very 
 valuable. 
 
 Cameron and Murray took Tha Bu and 
 Po Se into their confidence concerning their 
 own treasure. The two Burmans soon hit 
 upon a way to remove it. Po Se's villagers 
 bore it to the river and stowed it away safely 
 in a large barge. Then Johnson, Po Se, 
 and Tha Bu, went aboard and started for 
 Rangoon. Twenty sturdy coolies rowed the 
 barge. 
 
 Murray, Cameron, and the ladies re- 
 mained with the expeditionary force for two 
 weeks longer. They greatly appreciated 
 the change from anxiety and privation to 
 peace of mind and comfort, but nevertheless 
 were highly pleased when room was found 
 for them on a dispatch-boat, and they 
 steamed away to Mandalay. After staying 
 for a day or two in that city they proceeded 
 to Rangoon. The story of their adventures 
 had already reached the capital, and hun- 
 dreds of people flocked to the riverside to see 
 430 
 
Retribution 
 
 them land. They received quite an ovation, 
 for it was esteemed something wonderful to 
 have escaped unharmed from the clutches of 
 Po Thaw. 
 
 In due course Johnson, Tha Bii, and Po 
 Se arrived with the treasure, after a com- 
 paratively uneventful voyage. Murray 
 divided the treasure, which proved to be 
 more valuable than they expected, with a 
 generous hand. He gave Johnson one-fifth, 
 Cameron two-fifths, and retained two-fifths 
 for himself. Tha Bu received a handsome 
 present in excess of his wages. He thanked 
 Cameron and Murray in particularly high- 
 flown language, and expressed his firm 
 opinion that the success of the expedition 
 was to be attributed to its being accompanied 
 by a guide possessed of wisdom and expe- 
 rience. Then he departed up country to 
 build his pagoda. Po Se was also gene- 
 rously rewarded by Murray. He, too, 
 immediately set to work to erect an elabo- 
 rate pagoda, and became so enamoured of 
 43 1 
 
The Dacoifs Treasure 
 
 the work that he spent every pice he pos- 
 sessed on it, and became so poor that he 
 was compelled to live in a miserable little 
 hut, more suited for a coolie than an ex- 
 prime minister. But he was perfectly happy. 
 When all the affairs concerning the expe- 
 dition had been settled Cameron and Murray 
 were married quietly at the Pro-cathedral to 
 Edith Clarence and Mah Noo. A few days 
 before they left Burma for England they 
 met the old phoongyee near the Shway 
 Dagon Pagoda. The aged priest recognised 
 Cameron and Murray, but dropped his eyes 
 and walked quickly in a direction that their 
 carriage could not follow. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 UXWIN BROTHERS, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON. 
 
A 000 559 747 1 
 
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