Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/259

 lowed such paths as he could find, guiding himself mainly by the direction from which the rivers flowed. His plan was to ascend the valley through which the Bêtok ran, until the mountains were reached, and after crossing them to strike some stream on the Pěrak side of the range, down which it would be possible to navigate a bamboo raft.

He soon found himself back in the Sâkai country, and passed several of the jungle-folk's camps, which were all abandoned at his approach; but though he halted at one or two of them in order to replenish his scanty stock of provisions, he considered it more prudent to pass the night in the jungle.

It was on the evening of the third day that Külop became aware of an unpleasant sensation. The moon was at the full, and he could see for many yards around him in the forest, but though no living thing was visible, he became painfully conscious of the fact that he was being watched. Occasionally he thought that he caught the glínt of eyes peeping at him from the underwood, and every now and again a dry twig snapped crisply, first on one side of him, then on the other, in front of him, behind him. He started to his feet and sounded the sorak-the war- cry that pealed in widening echoes through the forest. A rustle in half a dozen different directions. at once showed him that the watchers had been numerous, and that they were now taking refuge in flight.

Kulop of the Harclip sat down again beside his fire, and a new and strange sensation began to lay