had told his cousin to take
the lead, and immersed in their own thoughts upon the desperate nature
of the attempt they were about to make, they went on and on, in and out
amongst the trees that grew more open as they progressed for quite an
hour, when coming upon a patch of mossy stones Mark uttered the word,
"Rest," and setting the example he sank down upon one of the stones, to
lean his head upon his hand.

"Do you feel weak?" asked Dean.

Mark shook his head.

"No," he said; "I am getting stronger. We will go on again in a few
minutes, and who knows what may happen? I feel that we shall save them
yet. Ah!" he cried.

For all at once the little figure of the pigmy stood before them,
holding his spear across his breast as if to bar their way.

"Look at that, Dean," cried Mark. "Faithful and true to us as ever,
even when those three men have forsaken us."

"They have not," said Dean. "Look."

Startled by his cousin's tones, Mark turned from the little black, to
realise the fact that the three men whom they had left must have taken a
circuitous course under the pigmy's guidance, cut them off by the
scattered stones where they were resting, and were now coming straight
towards them.

"Then you have repented, Buck?" cried Mark eagerly.

"No, sir."

"Then why are you here?" said the boy, starting to his feet, and
catching at his cousin's arm, for his weakness seemed to be returning.

"Because we think, Dan and I, that we have let you go on in your own way
long enough. It won't do, Mr Mark, and you must come back with us; eh,
Dan?"

"That's right, Mr Mark, sir. I never started mutiny before, but I am
in for it now. We have ris' against our officers, and you are both
prisoners."

"Prisoners!" cried Mark wildly. "You will not dare--"

"Yes, my lad."

"Here, Mak!" cried Mark fiercely. "And you too," he continued, turning
upon the pigmy; "you will stand by us, after all?"

"There, sir," said Buck; "even they won't do what you ask. Can't you
see now, my lad, how mad it is?" And the man pointed to where the two
blacks had darted away amongst the trees. "There, there must be no
nonsense now. We have got to save your lives. You are our prisoners,
so give up like men.--Ah, I never thought of that!"

For at that moment there was a repetition of the fierce yelling made
familiar to them by the night attack, and they were surrounded by some
fifty of the Illakas, who came rushing through the trees, fl