placed. Then, carefully avoiding the train, he emerged from the
hut, crossed to the gate and repeated the same process, spreading the
inflammable fluid all round the rockets and detonators there, and taking
it to the walls of the stockade, where he again threw the contents on
the woodwork. That done, he put the drum down, and placed the lamp
close to the bags of gold.

"Mind," he said, lifting a warning finger, as he stood in the light,
"you each take a bag and go. You leave the lamp burning, remember that.
I shall want it to fire the train."

It was time to move. By now the moon had sunk completely, and dense
darkness reigned over the surrounding forest and the neighbourhood of
the stockade. Our hero looked closely at his men. There was an air of
suppressed excitement about them, but he could see no trace of fear.
Indeed, these miners had already proved that they possessed courage, and
though they were not like their countrymen, for ever practised in the
arts of war, yet they had fair knowledge, as their behaviour had already
shown. Each carried a rifle in his hand, while a bag of cartridges
dangled across his shoulder. In addition, the short sword which every
Ashanti man wears, hung from the waist, ready for hand-to-hand fighting.
They sat on the ground in a circle, talking in whispers and waiting for
the signal.

"Time to move," said Dick, easily. "Open the gates, chief."

Silently and stealthily, as if they were so many ghosts, the party
issued from the stockade, and soon our hero, the two chiefs, and
Johnnie, were alone.

"Five minutes after the first shot is fired you will move," said their
young leader. "It will take three more to reach the crest, and then--"

"It shall be cleared," whispered the chief, with determination in his
voice. "My comrade and I have sworn that we will slay all who lie
there. Trust to us to do the deed without a sound, and to return in
time. We will make sure that none are left to spy upon us."

Five minutes passed slowly, and still there was no sound. Though the
four peered from the stockade, intent upon piercing the darkness, and
observing the movements of their comrades, there was nothing to be seen.
The ground outside might as well have been untenanted. It was trying
work waiting there for the sound of a shot. The seconds were like
minutes, so slowly did they seem to go. Dick could hear his own heart
thudding, could hear the deep breathing of the chiefs, while