“I see,” said Mr. Hume, slowly.  “They are not on our trail.”

“Let us go for them now,” said Compton, who had been eagerly listening.

Muata paid no heed to the words.

“There must be a new plan, chief,” said Mr. Hume.

“And what says the great one?”

“There is only one good plan, Muata, but you have yourself opposed it.”

“What is the plan, my father?”

“We should get to the Garden of Rest in advance of the enemy, and be ready to beat them off.  That would be the best way, but you have said you would not lead us to your secret hiding.”

“It is the plan,” said Muata.

“What!” cried Compton, “would you run away from these swabs without firing a shot?  What do you say, Venning?”

“I am willing to listen to all sides,” said Venning, judiciously.

“We must not fire a shot,"’ said the hunter, with decision; “we must withdraw without Hassan knowing of our presence.  If they learnt we were hereabouts, they would be on their guard, and, having the ‘legs’ of us by reason of their canoes, and the advantage by reason of their numbers, they would push on, and arrive at the hiding-place before us.  If they do not suspect our presence, they will take matters easy, and give us time.”

“But what of Muata’s mother?”

“That is the chief’s matter,” said Muata.

“And what of the Okapi?” asked Venning.  “This is my word.  You will go back in the morning,” said the chief, “marching quickly; and when you have found the shining canoe, you will move fast up the river to the place where the first little river from the forest joins it on the right bank.  There you will find me.”

“And if we don’t find you?”

“Haw!  What Muata says, that he will do.”

“And how are we to find our way back through the woods?”

Muata drummed his fingers against the stretched skin of his cheek, making a hollow noise.

“Behold,” he said, “there is your guide.”

They looked around in the dark, but could see no one.

“Do not look hard, for he is afraid of the white man’s eyes.”

“If we knew what we were expected to look at,” said Compton, “we’d know where we were; but—­oh——­”

He broke off, and stared at a little figure that barely reached up to Muata’s waist.

“A pigmy, by Jenkins!”

“By Jove! yes.”

Mr. Hume unhooked a steel chain from his belt, with a knife attached, and offered it to the little man, who, at a word from Muata, grabbed at it, and, after a minute inspection, hung it round his neck.  Muata said a few more words to the new guide, then, lifting his hand, gave the farewell salutation to his friends, and disappeared with the silent river-man.  The little man, taking one end of the rope, led them away from the camp of the cannibals, and after a brief rest, without the comfort of a fire, they were early