at killing! I
went near, round by the riverside, where also there is a fire as a
signal. I heard their talk. Others will join them in the night or
the morning, and together they will go in the war-canoes."

"And who are they that are expected?"

"I said we had not done with the thief-of-the-wood and the river,
the man-robber, the slayer of babes."

"Hassan! Do you mean that the Arabs are coming?"

"Even so, O great one. They are well matched, the man-eaters and the
man-stealers."

"And whom do they go against?"

"What should bring Hassan here but one thing, and that the fear of
Muata?"

"Humph!" muttered Mr. Hume.

"They go against my people, so that when Muata returns there will
not be one left--man, woman, child, or dog--to greet him, not one
hut left to shelter him, not a single manioc-root for him to eat.
Hassan will let in the waters upon the Garden of Rest."

"Eh?"

"That is his word. He has sworn it in his beard, and these jackals
howl it out. They talk of new fish that are to come to their nets."

"New fish?"

"Oh aye. When the water is let in, they will stand on the sloping
banks of the Garden of Rest and net the drowned."

"These are strange words, Muata. What are you talking about?"

"I talk of the plan that is made by Hassan to destroy utterly my
people in the Garden of Rest," said the chief, gloomily--"the secret
hiding whence I went forth against the man-stealers. Hassan comes
hither in the morning, and with these eaters of men, these jackals
of the wood, he will go on his way."

"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, th