At a stream about a hundred yards from the entrance they partially filled one of the skins and, placing a strong bamboo through the straps sewn on it for the purpose, Meinik and the Burmans carried it to the temple and, with Stanley's assistance, lifted it into the lower chamber.
The others were, one by one, placed beside it; then water was carried in the smaller skins and poured in, until they were all as full as they could hold.
"There is water enough to last us for a month, if needs be," Stanley said as, after securely tying up the mouths, they laid the skins down, side by side.
The smaller mussucks were then filled and placed with the large skins; and then, having done a long day's work, they returned to their tree just as the sun was setting.

The four men and two boys were already there, they having done the sixty miles from the village without a halt.

They had already cooked some rice and some slices of venison--which Meinik had brought, with the water skins, from the town that morning--and were now lying smoking their cigars with placid contentment.
For the next six days Meinik went to the town every afternoon.

On his return on the last evening, he said that the guard had told him that the governor had paid a visit to the prison, that day, and had seen the white captive; and had decided that he was now well enough to travel, and that in two days' time he was to start for Ava, the court having sent down an urgent order that he should be carried there as soon as he was well enough to bear the fatigue.
"Then tomorrow we must get him out," Stanley said.

"Will our two men be on duty ?" "Yes, master, they have not been on since the last night we were there.