Hilton obeyed, lying down upon the matting, and in spite of his excitement, he felt a strangely-delicious drowsy sensation stealing over him, to which he yielded, and the next moment--so it seemed to him-- Chumbley laid a great hand over his lips, and whispered: "Time's up!" He rose to his knees, to find that it was intensely dark, and saving an occasional howl from the forest, all was perfectly still. "I've got the bamboos up," whispered Chumbley, "and you are going first, because I can then hold your hands and lower you softly down. Don't speak, but do as I bid you." Hilton felt ready to resist his companion's autocratic ways, but he obeyed him in silence, Chumbley lowering him through the hole to the open space below the house, the building being raised some eight feet above the ground upon huge bamboo piles, as a protection from floods and the prowling tiger. The next minute there was a faint rustle, a heavy breathing, a slight crack or two, and Hilton received a heavy kick. Then Chumbley dropped to his feet. "I got stuck," he whispered, as he took his friend's hand; "thought I should not have got through. Now then, the river lies straight before us, under that great star. 'Ware guards and tigers, and we shall be safe." It was intensely dark beneath the house, and but little better as they emerged from the piles upon which it was built, to stand with the dense jungle before them, impenetrable save where there was a path; and they were about to step boldly forth, when something bright seemed to twinkle for a moment between them and the stars, and by straining their eyes they made out that straight before them were the misty-looking forms of a couple of their Malay guards. VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER SIX. IN TIME OF PERIL. With eyes wild and hair dishevelled Helen Perowne sat crouched together as far from the Rajah as her means would allow. "Why, Helen," he said mockingly, and with a gleam of triumph in his eyes, as he half reclined against the bamboo wall, "how beautiful you look!" He made a movement as if to clasp her in his arms, but she sprang up with a cry of horror. "What folly!" he said, laughing as he slowly changed his feet. "And you will not drink--you are afraid that I shall try to poison you. Don't be afraid. Why should I now? I love you too well. When first you began to woo me--" She burst into a piteous fit of sobbing, and then turned upon him her eyes full of misery and despair. "That makes you more handsome!" he cried, excitedly. "Be angry with me; I love it! I will say that again. When you first began to woo me--" It had not the intended effect, for Helen remained silent, watching him with dilated eyes, as if he were some tiger about to make a spring.