Then, because instead of corraling their cattle the Masai were already dividing themselves into two parties, one of which drove the cattle forward and the other diverged to study the attack, we ducked down under a ridge and ran toward the Greeks.  The sooner we could get the first stage of the fighting off our hands the better.

It proved a long way—­far longer than I expected, and the going was rougher.  Moreover, the Greeks’ boys were losing no time about rounding up the cattle.  By the time they were ready to make a move we were still more than a mile away, and out of breath.

“If they go south,” panted Brown, throwing himself down by a clump of grass to gasp for his third or fourth wind, “the Masai’ll catch ’em sure, an’ we’ll be out o’ the running!  Lord send they head ’em back toward British East!”

He was in much the worst physical condition because of the whisky, but his wits were working well enough.  The Greeks on the other hand seemed undecided and appeared to be arguing.  Then Brown’s prayer was answered.  The Greeks’ boys decided the matter for them by stampeding the herd northward toward us.  They did not come fast.  They were lame, and bone-weary from hard driving, but they knew the way home again and made a bee line.  Within a minute they were spread fan-wise between us and the Greeks, making a screen we could not shoot through.

“Scatter to right and left!” Brown shouted.  “Get round the wings!”

But what was the use?  He was in the center, and short-winded.  I climbed on an ant-hill.

“The Greeks are on the run!” I said.  “They are headed southward!  They’ve got their boys together, and have abandoned the cattle!  They’re off with their tent and belongings due south!”

“The cowards!” swore Brown, with such disappointment that Will and I laughed.

“Laugh all you like!” he said.  “I’ve a long job on my hands!  I’ll have revenge on ’em if it takes the rest o’ my life!  I’ll follow ’em to hell-and-gone!”

“Meanwhile,” I said, still standing on the ant-hill, “the Masai are following the cattle!  They’re smoking this way in two single columns of about twenty spears in each.  The remainder are driving their own cattle about due eastward so as to be out of the way of trouble.”

“All right,” said Brown, growing suddenly cheerful again.  “Then it’ll be a rear-guard action.  Let the cattle through, and open fire behind ‘em!  Send that Kazimoto o’ yours to warn our boys to round ’em up and drive ’em slow and steady northward!”

Kazimoto ran back and gave the necessary orders.  He lost no time about it, but returned panting, and lay down in a hollow behind us with cartridges in either fist and a grin on his face that would have done credit to a circus clown.  I never, anywhere, saw any one more pleased than Kazimoto at the prospect of a fight.