"It was one of our prowling rascals you saw, and when he comes back I'll teach him to come spying on us.

If I know anything of the rattan, he won't do it again." Hayle shrugged his shoulders.

While the fact that their servants were not at the camp to anticipate their return was certainly suspicious, he was still as convinced as ever that the man he had seen slipping through the ruins was no Burman, but a true son of the Celestial Empire.
Worn out by the excitement of the day, Kitwater anathematized the servants for not having been there to prepare the evening meal, but while he and Hayle wrangled, Mr.Codd had as usual taken the matter into his own hands, and, picking up a cooking-pot, had set off in the direction of the stream, whence they drew their supply of water.

He had not proceeded very far, however, before he uttered a cry and came running back to the camp.

There was a scared expression upon his face as he rejoined his companions.
"They've not run away," he cried, pointing in the direction whence he had come.