eed to, adding, however, that he knew for certain that the girl was a
witch, but that the investigation would do good in the way of proving
that he, the doctor, was correct, and thus the girl should perish on the
following night, and the white men would be satisfied.

Having announced this to the multitude, the king ordered Okandaga to be
conducted back to her prison and carefully guarded; and we returned to
our hut--not, however, to sleep, but to consult as to what was to be
done next.

"I knew that you wanted a respite for her," said Peterkin, as we sat
round our fire, "that you might have time to consider how to act, and I
backed up your request accordingly, as you know. But now, I confess,
I'm very much at a loss what to suggest. It seems to me we have only
purchased a brief delay."

"True," answered Jack. "The delay is not so brief, however, but that we
may plan some method of getting the poor girl out of this scrape.--What
say you, Mak?"

"If _you_ no can tink 'pon someting, I gib up all hope," replied our
guide sorrowfully.

"Come, Mak, cheer up," cried Peterkin. "If the worst comes to the
worst, you can, at any rate, fight for your bride."

"Fight!" exclaimed the negro, displaying his white teeth like a mastiff,
rolling his eyes and clinching his fists convulsively. Then in a calmer
tone he continued, "Ay, me can fight. Me could kill all de guards an'
take Okandaga by de hand, an' run troo de bushes for eber. But guards
no die widout hollerin' an' yellerin' like de gorilla; an' nigger mans
can run fasterer dan womans. No, no, dat am dumpossobable."

"Nothing's `dumpossobable' to brave hearts and stout arms," replied
Jack. "There are only four guards put over her, I believe. Well, there
are just four of us--not that we require to be equal, by any means.
Peterkin and I could settle them easily; but we require to be equal in
numbers, in order to do it quietly. I have a plan in my head, but
there's one hitch in it that I cannot unravel."

"And what may that be?" If asked.

"Why, I don't see how, after getting clear off with Okandaga, we are to
avoid being pursued on suspicion and captured."

"Dere is one cave," remarked the guide, "not far off to here. P'raps we
be safe if we git into 'im. But I 'fraid it not do, cause him be
peepiled by fiends an' dead man's spirits."

"That's a grave objection," said Peterkin, laughing.

"Yes, an' de tribe neber go near dere; dey is most drefful terrorf