ed him by the throat with a vice-like grasp.

"Seize his hands and hold them," he hissed to Langley.

Ghamba struggled desperately, but could not release himself. Whitson
compressed his throat until he became unconscious, and then gagged him
with a pocket-handkerchief. Ghamba's hands were then tied tightly
behind his back with another pocket-handkerchief, and his feet were
firmly secured with a belt. An empty sack (from which they had removed
their provisions) was then drawn over his head and shoulders, and
secured round the waist.

"Come on now, quickly," whispered Whitson, and he and Langley started
off in the direction of the fire, after first taking off their boots.

They did not approach by the course which Ghamba had indicated, but
made their way quietly up the slope straight against the face of the
crag. They reached the heap of rocks, and crept in amongst them by
means of another narrow passage, close to the inner end of which the
fire was, and this is what they saw through the twigs of a scrubby bush
which effectually concealed them.

A large cave opened into the side of the mountain, and just before the
mouth was an open space about twenty yards in diameter, surrounded on
all sides except that of the mountain itself by a wall of loosely-piled
rocks, through which passages led out in different directions. Just in
front of the cave burned a bright fire, around which crouched four most
hideous and filthy-looking old bags, and against which were propped
several large earthenware pots of native make, full of water. Standing
behind rocks, one at each side of the inner entrance to the passage,
which was evidently that communicating with the pathway indicated by
Ghamba as the one they were to approach by, were two powerful-looking
men, stark-naked, and as black as ebony, their skins shining in the
light of the fire. Each man held a coiled thong in his hands, after the
manner of a sailor about to heave a line. Whilst they were looking, a
woman somewhat younger in appearance than any of those who sat by the
fire, came out of the cave carrying a strong club about three feet
long. She crouched down close to the man standing on the left-hand side
of the passage, who, as well as his companion, stood as still as a
marble statue, and in an expectant attitude.

Whitson and Langley, with their revolvers drawn, suddenly stepped out
of their concealment, and walked towards the fire. This evidently
disconcerted the men with