He paused to listen to the comfortable home noises of the brook.

’When we had lost count of time among those black gullies and swashes we heard, as it were, a drum beat far off, and following it we broke into a broad, brown river by a hut in a clearing among fields of pumpkins.  We thanked God to see the sun again.  The people of the village gave the good welcome, and Witta scratched his head at them (for gold), and showed them our iron and beads.  They ran to the bank—­we were still in the ship—­and pointed to our swords and bows, for always when near shore we lay armed.  Soon they fetched store of gold in bars and in dust from their huts, and some great blackened elephants’ teeth.  These they piled on the bank, as though to tempt us, and made signs of dealing blows in battle, and pointed up to the tree-tops, and to the forest behind.  Their captain or chief sorcerer then beat on his chest with his fists, and gnashed his teeth.

’Said Thorkild of Borkum:  “Do they mean we must fight for all this gear?” and he half drew sword.

’"Nay,” said Hugh.  “I think they ask us to league against some enemy.”

’"I like this not,” said Witta, of a sudden.  “Back into mid-stream.”

’So we did, and sat still all, watching the black folk and the gold they piled on the bank.  Again we heard drums beat in the forest, and the people fled to their huts, leaving the gold unguarded.

’Then Hugh, at the bows, pointed without speech, and we saw a great Devil come out of the forest.  He shaded his brows with his hand, and moistened his pink tongue between his lips—­thus.’

‘A Devil!’ said Dan, delightfully horrified.

’Yea.  Taller than a man; covered with reddish hair.  When he had well regarded our ship, he beat on his chest with his fists till it sounded like rolling drums, and came to the bank swinging all his body between his long arms, and gnashed his teeth at us.  Hugh loosed arrow, and pierced him through the throat.  He fell roaring, and three other Devils ran out of the forest and hauled him into a tall tree out of sight.  Anon they cast down the blood-stained arrow, and lamented together among the leaves.

Witta saw the gold on the bank; he was loath to leave it.  “Sirs,” said he (no man had spoken till then), “yonder is what we have come so far and so painfully to find, laid out to our very hand.  Let us row in while these Devils bewail themselves, and at least bear off what we may.”

’Bold as a wolf, cunning as a fox was Witta!  He set four archers on the foredeck to shoot the Devils if they should leap from the tree, which was close to the bank.  He manned ten oars a-side, and bade them watch his hand to row in or back out, and so coaxed he them toward the bank.  But none would set foot ashore, though the gold was within ten paces.  No man is hasty to his hanging!  They whimpered at their oars like beaten hounds, and Witta bit his fingers for rage.