ped in oiled silk which he kept as a reserve in a
special pouch of his belt. In the very act of striking the match Birnier
ejaculated: "God!"

"Nini?" demanded the sentry.

"I burned myself," returned Birnier.

"Nothing to what you will soon!" retorted the nigger, grinning, made an
obscene suggestion and swaggered across to the fire.

Birnier cursed his own stupidity as he thought swiftly. If Mungongo and
the others ran at the same time the numbers would confuse the soldiers the
more. He spoke across to Mungongo in the Wongolo dialect, hoping that the
Munyamwezi would not understand.

"Let thy heart be like unto the bullet of my big gun, and obey me! When I
throw up in the air this cigarette, thou shalt run and plunge into the
river, but not into the depth; lie hidden in the reeds of the bank until
thou shalt hear a frog croak thrice and then once. Come out and go to the
frog, and be not afraid, for thou shalt see me in the spirit form. Dost
understand?"

"Truly, my master!"

"Tell the washenzie that they also obey or shall my spirit eat them up as
it shall these children of dung!"

"Truly, master!"

Birnier glanced at the horizon. The shadows had melted into the violet
twilight, which in equatorial Africa is almost as short as the snuffing of
a candle. The stars were popping out. Dusky forms were circling round the
yellow of the fire which threw pale flickers on the figure of Corporal
Inyira, revealing the beginning of the hysterical gleam in the yellows of
his eyes as, reverting to habit, he squatted on his haunches in the chair.
They might make a rush for the victims at any moment. The sentry,
excitement overcoming discipline, was, rifle still in hand, dancing round
the outskirts of the throng.

Birnier threw the cigarette towards Mungongo. As he dived round the thorn
bush he heard the rustle of movement and the "boy's" gasped exclamation to
the others. The bank of the river was not fifteen yards away. On the brink
Birnier crouched and listened. He heard a splash a little to the right,
which was Mungongo or one of the others literally obeying his
instructions.

The mosquitoes buzzed and stung in clouds. A cricket shrilled persistently
above the chorus of the frogs and the throb of the hand-drum and the
chanting. The sentry had not yet discovered the flight; he was probably
drunker than Birnier had guessed. By raising himself on his hands he could
see the gleam of the fire and the inverted V of the tent