Chapter 13: Preparing A Rescue.

Stanley remained where he was until Meinik returned, in half an hour, with the rope. Stanley made a loop at one end; and then knotted it, at distances of about a foot apart, to enable him to climb it more easily. Then they waited until the guard fire burnt down low, and most of the men went off into a hut a few yards distant, three only remaining talking before the fire. Then Stanley moved round to the other side of the palisade and, choosing a spot immediately behind the hut where the sentries were posted, threw up the rope. It needed many attempts before the loop caught at the top of one of the bamboos. As soon as it did so, he climbed up.

He found that the position was an exceedingly unpleasant one. The bamboos were all so cut that each of them terminated in three spikes, and so impossible was it to cross this that he had to slip down the rope again. On telling Meinik what was the matter, the latter at once took off his garment and folded it up into a roll, two feet long.

"If you lay that on the top, master, you will be able to cross."

This time Stanley had little difficulty. On reaching the top, he laid the roll on the bamboo spikes; and was able to raise himself on to it and sit there, while he pulled up the rope and dropped it on the inside. Descending, he at once began to crawl towards the hut. As he had seen before climbing, a light was burning within, and the window was at the back of the house. This was but some twenty yards from the palisade and, when he reached it, he stood up and cautiously looked in.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. When did Meinik return?
2. What did he bring with him?
3. Who waited for him?
4. What did Stanley do with the rope?
5. Where?
6. And then did what?
7. How far apart were the knots?
8. Why?
9. Was his position pleasant?
10. What was he climbing?
11. How did the bamboo end?
12. Did this happen naturally?
13. Could he cross?
14. What did he do instead?
15. What did Meinik do to help?
16. And what did he do with it?
17. How long was it?
18. Did it help?
19. What did he do with it?
20. What did he crawl towards?

Numbered answers:
1. in half an hour
2. the rope
3. Stanley
4. made a loop
5. at one end
6. knotted it
7. about a foot
8. so he could climb it more easily
9. no
10. bamboo
11. in three spikes
12. no
13. no
14. slip down the rope
15. took off his garment
16. folded it up into a roll
17. two feet long
18. yes
19. laid it on the spikes and sat on it
20. the hut