"Are the prisoners in one of these old temples!" "Yes. On the other side of the big pyrymid yonder, sor; but ye can't get to them widout going a long way round." "Are there many women here besides that Mistress Greenheys?" "Sure, yis, there is a dozen of 'em, sor. Not half enough, but just enough to kape the min quarrelling; and there's been no end of bother about the women being kept in the place." CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. PLANS OF ESCAPE. Humphrey Armstrong was weaker from his wounds than he believed; but the change from being shut up in the dim temple-chamber with the great stone idol for company to the comparatively free open air of the forest clearing rapidly restored the elasticity of his nature, and gave him ample opportunities for studying the state of affairs. He found that the buccaneers went out but seldom, and that when expeditions were made they would be fairly divided. At one time the captain would be in command, at another the lieutenant, so that their settlement was never left unprotected. As far as he could judge, they were about a hundred in number, and great dilapidated chambers in the range of temples and palaces formed admirable barracks and means of defence, such as in time of need could easily be held against attack. But Humphrey's great idea was escape; and to accomplish this it seemed to him that his first need was to open up communication with his men. This he determined to accomplish, for with the liberty given it seemed to be a very easy thing to walk to some heap of stones at the edge of the forest and there seat himself till he was unobserved, when he could quietly step into the dense thicket, and make his way to where his followers were imprisoned. He had not long to wait, for it seemed that, after being closely watched for the first few days, the latitude allowed to him was greater. He had but to walk to the edge of the forest and wait, for the opportunity was sure to come. Easy as it appeared though in theory, it proved less so in performance, and it was not till after several attempts that he felt one day sure of success. It was soon after mid-day, when the great amphitheatre and the grotesquely ornamented ruins with their huge heads and shadowy trees were baking in the sun. The men who were often idling about had sought places where they could indulge in their siesta, and a silence as of the grave had fallen upon the place. Humphrey Armstrong had walked to a pile of ruins beneath one of the trees, and seated himself upon a huge stone sculptured round with figures writhing in impossible attitudes, and one and all wearing highly ornamental head-dresses of feathers.