214 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



boats near the abandoned dug-out and dashed after 

 us, shouting angrily. A few paces away the soldiers 

 drew up a line and levelled five muskets at us. The 

 sergeant shouted an order commandingly. An icy chill 

 ran up and down my spinal column, but we marched 

 on with even stride. Knowing what we did of the 

 Siamese soldier, we were convinced that the little brown 

 fellows would not dare shoot down a white man in 

 cold blood. Nor was our judgment at fault. When 

 we had advanced a few yards the squad ran after us 

 and drew up once more in firing line. The sergeant 

 bellowed in stentorian tones, but the guns hung fire. 



Seven times this manoeuvre was repeated. We were 

 already half a mile from the landing-place. Sud- 

 denly a villager snatched a musket from a soldier, and 

 running close up to our heels, took deliberate aim. 

 His appearance stamped him as the bold, bad man of 

 that region. My flesh crawled in anticipation of the 

 sting of that bullet. I caught myself wondering in 

 what part of my body it would be lodged. But the 

 fellow vented his anger in shrieking and aiming ; he 

 dared not pull the trigger. 



Finding us indifferent to all threats, the sergeant 

 changed his tactics. The scene became ludicrous. One 

 by one the barefooted troopers slipped up behind us 

 and snatched at our packs and jackets. When we 

 turned on them they fell back, wild-eyed. Their per- 

 sistence grew annoying. 



' Tip me off when the next one tries it,' said James. 



Out of a corner of an eye I watched a soldier steal 

 up on my companion and reach for his depleted ' swag.' 



' Now ! ' I shouted. 



The Australian whirled, and caught the trooper' 



