ignorance of what the Portuguese was, we had given him a great deal of
information regarding the village of our late hospitable entertainer
which might prove very useful to him, and very hurtful to poor King
Jambai, in the event of such a raid being carried out.

But, in addition to this, Makarooroo had ascertained that it was
possible that, before going to King Jambai's village, they might perhaps
make a descent on that of our friend Mbango, with whom we had left poor
Okandaga. It was this that raised the wrath of our guide to such a
pitch.

The instant we heard it Jack said--

"Then that settles the question of our future proceedings. We must bid
adieu to the gorillas at once, and dog the steps of this marauding
party, so as to prevent our good friends Mbango and Jambai being
surprised and carried into slavery along with all their people. It
seems to me that our path is clear in this matter. Even if we were not
bound in honour to succour those who have treated us hospitably, we
ought to do our best to undo the evil we have done in telling their
enemies so much about them. Besides, we must save Okandaga, whatever
happens. What say you, comrades?"

"Of course we must," said Peterkin. I also heartily concurred.

"You's a good man," said Makarooroo, his eyes glistening with emotion.

"If I did not stand by you at such a time as this," replied Jack,
smiling, "I should certainly be a very bad man."

"But what are we to do about our goods?" inquired I, "We cannot hope to
keep up with these robbers if we carry our goods with us; and yet it
seems hard to leave them behind, for we should fare ill, I fear, in this
country if we travel as beggars."

"We shall easily manage as to that," replied Jack. "I have observed
that one of our niggers is a sensible, and, I am disposed to think, a
trustworthy fellow--"

"D'you mean the man with the blind eye and the thumping big nose?"
inquired Peterkin.

"The same. Well, I shall put him in charge, and tell him to follow us
to Mbango's village; then we four shall start off light, and hunt our
way south, travelling as fast as we can, and carrying as many strings of
beads, by way of small change, as we can stuff into our pockets and
fasten about our persons."

"The very thing," cried Peterkin. "So let's put it in practice at
once."

"Ay, this very night," said Jack, as we hurried back to the spot where
our goods had been left.

As we went along in silence I noticed t