y. The princess's magic, she insisted, would prove
powerless against the children; and as to any force she might muster,
our animal-allies alone would assure our superiority: she was herself,
she said, ready, with a good stick, to encounter any two men of Bulika.
She confessed to not a little fear of the leopardess, but I was myself
ready for her. I shrank, however, from carrying ALL the children with
us.

"Would it not be better," I said, "that you remained in the forest with
your baby and the smallest of the Little Ones?"

She answered that she greatly relied on the impression the sight of them
would make on the women, especially the mothers.

"When they see the darlings," she said, "their hearts will be taken by
storm; and I must be there encouraging them to make a stand! If there be
a remnant of hardihood in the place, it will be found among the women!"

"YOU must not encumber yourself," I said to Lona, "with any of the
children; you will be wanted everywhere!"

For there were two babies besides the woman's, and even on horseback she
had almost always one in her arms.

"I do not remember ever being without a child to take care of," she
answered; "but when we reach the city, it shall be as you wish!"

Her confidence in one who had failed so unworthily, shamed me. But
neither had I initiated the movement, nor had I any ground for opposing
it; I had no choice, but must give it the best help I could! For myself,
I was ready to live or die with Lona. Her humility as well as her trust
humbled me, and I gave myself heartily to her purposes.

Our way lying across a grassy plain, there was no need to take food for
the horses, or the two cows which would accompany us for the infants;
but the elephants had to be provided for. True, the grass was as good
for them as for those other animals, but it was short, and with their
one-fingered long noses, they could not pick enough for a single meal.
We had, therefore, set the whole colony to gather grass and make hay, of
which the elephants themselves could carry a quantity sufficient to last
them several days, with the supplement of what we would gather fresh
every time we halted. For the bears we stored nuts, and for ourselves
dried plenty of fruits. We had caught and tamed several more of the
big horses, and now having loaded them and the elephants with these
provisions, we were prepared to set out.

Then Lona and I held a general review, and I made them a little speech.