At these the Burmese looked with some awe but, as Stanley laughed and joked over them, they soon recovered their usual demeanour.
"I am a great deal more afraid of tigers than of ghosts," Stanley said; "a deserted place like this is just the sort of spot they would be likely to be in.

At any rate, if these caves do not go any further into the hill--and there are no signs of their doing so--it may be hoped that the tigers have their superstitions about it, too.

At any rate, it will be a good thing to pile a great quantity of firewood at the entrance; and I think one of you had better stay here, with the boys.

They and the horses would be a great deal safer here, with a fire burning; than they would be in the woods, where a tiger might pounce upon them, at any moment.

As to this folly about spirits, it is only old women's chatter." The Burmese talked among themselves, and one of the men finally agreed to stay with the boys.