head
circlet, and about his throat he wore a necklace made of the teeth
of the gorilla and the claws of a lion. His eyes were fierce and
bright, and the quivering of his nostrils showed also that he was
labouring under suppressed excitement. Mr. Hume recognized at once
that he was face to face with a crisis, and instinctively he
realized that it depended on him to save the situation, not only for
himself and his young companions, but for Muata also. His calm eyes
travelled over the ring of black faces behind the chief. He saw
there were two parties. On one side were the young warriors, men of
the chiefs age, who probably had been brought up in the valley; on
the other was a larger number of older men, whose lowering looks
told a tale of distrust and incipient revolt.

"Behold," he said, making up his mind to the role he would play, "we
are the chief's 'white men.' We have made strong medicine. Shall I
speak, O black bull of the forest?"

"Speak," said Muata, who had caught the hunter's eye when he
acknowledged himself to be the chief's white man.

"Thus says the medicine," said the hunter, in his deep tones. "There
are wolves on the way to eat up the people of this place."

"Eh--hum!" sneered the older men. "We know."

"We are ready for them," shouted the young warriors.

"Ye know--yes; but thus says my medicine--that you are not agreed
among yourselves."

"Er--hum!"

The hunter paused, and his strange eyes dwelt on the faces of the
old men so that they looked away.

"There are some among you who would make terms with the enemy. There
were some who had sent secret word to Hassan. Go ye a little way up
the slope and ye will see the bodies of some of those slain in their
treachery!"

"Wow!" The older men exchanged uneasy glances, and a woman's voice
rang out exultingly, "Ye speak the truth, O lion."

"Thus says my medicine. If ye do not stand together, the enemy will
enter at the gates, and not one will be left alive, for Hassan will
slay those whose hearts were with him as he will those who were
against him."

One of the older warriors interrupted, shooting a finger at Muata.

"Great one, give us the word that we may slay this dog who comes to
make trouble. Is this the counsel of a wise man on the coming of the
enemy?"

"What would you do with him?" asked Muata, suavely.

"Send him after those others;" and the man pointed up the hill.

"You stand alone in your words," said the chief, doubtfully.