“ ‘I woke,’ he said unsteadily, ‘to feel something crawling over me on the bed. Outside that infernal whistling was going on, and at last I made out what was—what was——My God!’ he cried thickly, ‘what was it, Mac—what was it?’
“ ‘Steady, boy!’ said McAndrew. ‘It’s dead now, anyway. But it was touch and go. I’ve seen ’em bigger than that up in the Arakans. It’s a bloodsucking, poisonous spider. They’re sacred to some of the sects.’
“Suddenly out of the jungle came one dreadful, piercing cry.
“ ‘What was that?’ Jack muttered, and McAndrew shook his head.
“ ‘Well find out to-morrow,’ he said. ‘There are strange things abroad to-night.’
“We saw the darkness out—the three of us—round a bottle of whisky.
“ ‘They’ve been trying to get you for a week, Manderby,’ said the Scotsman. ‘To-night they very near succeeded.’
“ ‘But why?’ cried Jack. ‘I’ve never done ’em any harm.’
“McAndrew shrugged his shoulders.
“ ‘Don’t ask me that,’ he answered. ‘Their ways are not our ways.’