hing?"

"Perhaps they are at work already," said Mr. Hume. "There is a small
party coming down the valley from the left. Muata said something
about Hassan's determination to drown the people of the valley. He
could only flood the valley by damming the stream at its outlet,
which would lie to the left, and I guess those men have been seeing
to the defence."

"The leading man has plumes in his head. A chief, I suppose."

"It is the chief himself, Dick."

"So it is. I can make out his Ghoorka knife. Let's give him a
shout;" and the two sent a loud "coo-ee" ringing down the slope. The
sound reached the ears of the little band of warriors, for they
stood to look up; it also reached the people in the village with a
startling effect. The men jumped up from the ground, women snatched
up children and scuttled hither and thither like ants disturbed.
From the depths below a cry came up clear and crisp--the marvellous
voice of the native, trained through long centuries to speed a
message of war or peace, of victory or disaster, from hill to hill.

"Ohe! Ohe! my brothers, the chief awaits you."

"Does he?" said Mr. Hume, dryly. "Then he may wait until he sends up
a proper escort. Oh, here they come, I suppose," as half of Muata's
body-guard detached themselves and advanced towards the palm-tree.

"Shall we go down?" said Compton, rising.

"Sit still, my lad. No chief ever hurries; and, you understand, we
are all chiefs."

"Are we, though?"

"We take rank with Muata, if he is the head chief; not out of pride,
you understand, but out of policy. So just keep cool. Just look as
if you were a sixth-form boy approached by a deputation from the
kids. See?"

"I'll be as cool and haughty as a----"

"Freshman in a bun-shop," interposed Venning. "Me, too;" and he put
on a high and mighty look.

"Don't overdo it, my boy," said Mr. Hume, with a grave smile.

There were seven men coming up, and they breasted the slope in
single file at a walk which quickly got over the ground. On reaching
the ledge they advanced at a trot up to within a few feet, when they
suddenly halted, grounded their spears with a clang, and raised the
right hand with the fingers spread. They were fine lads, straight
of limb, supple and lithe, without, however, much show of muscle.
Their quick glances, with a certain quality of wildness in the eyes,
ranged over the three seated and silent whites.

"Greeting, O white men from out the forest, and the water