"Because, sir," the Babu continued with great deference, "I have in my store sticky plaster, powdered alum, gold-beater’s skin, sweet olive oil, cold cream scented with roses, all things warranted to make epidermis blooming and good as new. Item and in addition, perhaps a little cooling draught may reduce inflammability and----" "Oh, shut up!" said Bob, and the Babu went away smiling but sorrowful. The three Englishmen went about their usual occupations as if nothing had occurred. They watched the workmen narrowly for signs of guilt, but could detect nothing. The Pathans were frankly curious and sympathetic; the faces of the Kalmucks were as expressionless as they always appear to Europeans. Nurla Bai, who was the special object of Mr. Appleton’s attention, was inscrutable: there was no change in his demeanour. Convinced that his assailant had in some way crossed the river in the darkness of the previous night, Bob was at a loss to guess how he had accomplished the feat. In the interval at mid-day, when the men had trooped across the drawbridge for their meal, he suggested to Lawrence that they should walk along the pathway to the ledge on which they kept the aeroplane, and see if there were some fordable place which had escaped their uncle’s notice. On the way they examined every foot of the cliff below them. It rose sheer from the bed of the river, so steep and smooth as to afford no foothold for man or beast. Even if the river had been swum or forded, it would have been impossible for any one to climb up to the level platform on which the mine works were situated. Nor could the most hardy and adventurous stranger have approached from above, for the slope was too steep to give foothold to a mountain sheep. In the other direction, down-stream, access was equally impossible, and for a time both the boys felt thoroughly baffled. At length, however, Lawrence made a discovery. In retracing his steps towards the plank pathway he climbed out upon a huge buttress of rock that projected some feet into the river. "Take care!" cried Bob, feeling some alarm at the risk his brother was running. "All right, old man," returned Lawrence. "It’s rather a fine view down the gorge from here. You’d better try it yourself when your head’s mended." He picked his way carefully over the somewhat uneven rock, and had gone three parts of the way round its circumference when he suddenly stood fixed, staring at something in front and a little below him. "By George!" he ejaculated in an undertone. Then he lay flat on the summit of the rock, wriggled forward to the edge, until his head projected, and peered downwards. "What is it?" asked Bob from his position several yards in the rear. Lawrence did not answer until he had crawled backward and once more stood erect.