Evening star., 1896-12-26
'.You think they were on the warpathr'
asked 4 fna resEa ired feat :. -


I asked. es I: too. regained my feet
Looked like It. didn't fthey?" was
Trayer's grim reply. as he turned away and
began to retrace his steps. I followed him.
feeling little ashamed of my question.
The vision Of the serried ranks of these
ghostly warriors was with me stilf and
It seemed to answer my question. Once
clear Of the dark shadow Of our rock. It
was lighter. and we could even trace the
path made by the marching lmpf over the
grass and through the underground of
dwarf shrubs without difficulty. We fol-
lowed 1t for some distance In silence, but
when we reached the angle Of the Kopje
1t suddenly turned or to the right. My
companion paused for q moment as his
eyes followed the directions of the track.
Then he turned to the left by the track
thought So Well, 1t was lucky we broke
bounds. after all, though ] suspect the
doctor won't give us much credit for that"
7 Ten minutes more of hard walking and
we came in sight of the Makaiesi river
and the post on the rising ground beyond
1t. Both were now bathed in the first
level light of the rising moon, and 1t was
with sudden feeling Of unreasonable re-
lief that I saw how peaceful and undis-
turbed the place looked. The sight ap-
peared to affect Travers differently, for he
quickened his pace almost to a run, and In
less than five minutes we had forded the
river and ascended the bank on the side
next the post. In another minute We were
challenged by the sentry, who added, with
laugh: What have you been up to,
Travers?" s..s.
rs the old man about, or Thompson? ~
was Travers' reply.
What the mischiefs uo. Travers?" ex-
claimed the astonished sentry. THE less
you see of the old man, or Thompson,
either, tonight, the healthier it's likely
to be for you. Do you want to spend
There, Morris, don't be fool! You
don't suppose we've been racing for fun
tonight. do you? It's serious this time.
We've just stalked 500 of these Matabeie
devils, and If we don't look alive there'll
be more of US in limbo by Christmas than
we bargain for
The sentry's rejoinder was very en-
phatic. as he wheeled and led the way into
the inclosure.
Part HI.
Two hours later I was standing. looking
at the results Of my labors In building up
mealie bags on the top of the low earth
work that surrounded the post on rather
more than three sides. 1 was tired. but
my share of the work was done. and only
awaiting the inspection which at the mo-
ment was being carried on by the doctor
and his lieutenant. The piece that had
been allotted to me to build came next to
the wagons, and was close to the spot at
which only a few hours before Travers and
1 had cfept through on our lon-hunting
expedition.
"A good, solid piece of work, Mr. HaIl!''
My eyes had wandered to the silver CLEAN
of the river in front Of me, and had failed
to notice him come up to where I leaned
against the corner of the wagon. 1T was
hereabouts you got out, think, on your
hunting expedition. Well, you had better
take charge of the place and see that no.
body gets in. AS for lions, you stand fair
chance to see something quite as exciting
without going to find IT.
1t was the only reference Benson ever
made to our unauthorized expedition.
Travers had told him the whole affair in a
few short sentences, as he had sat with one
leg out of his bed. just as he had been
reused to hear what we had to say on our
return. NOW" he added, "get an hours
sleep, and then have something to eat, for
l must have every man fit and well by day.
break s2a1d-
Sleep? The very idea seemed absurd, but
I had at least enough sense of discipline to
try what lying down on my rough bunk
would do toward obeying orders. 1t GER
tainly didn't seem hopeful, for 1t was my
first experience of anything quite so excit-