"We don't want you to run that risk, Aboh," said Charley, "but still we
wish you to find some other way."

"Me tinkee, me tinkee, now go sleep," answered Aboh, by which we
understood that he would consider the matter and let us know the result
of his cogitations in the morning. We accordingly, as he advised, wrapt
ourselves in our cloaks which we had on when we were captured, and,
taking our positions as near the fire as we could, tried to sleep. I
observed that our captors kept a far more watchful look-out than had our
former friends--indeed, from the little I had seen of them, they
appeared to me to be a far more sagacious and keen-witted set than those
we had left. They had good reason also to be on the watch, for they
might at any moment be attacked by the followers of King Quagomolo, the
larger number of whom had escaped, and who would very likely rally and
attempt to recover their friends and us, and revenge themselves for the
sudden and unprovoked assault made on their camp. Charley expressed a
hope that such might be the case, and that we should then regain out
liberty.

"I should be sorry for the bloodshed which would ensue, for our captors
would probably fight desperately to detain us, and many on both sides
would be killed," said Harry, who was always more anxious to obtain an
object by peaceable means than by force.

"There is no use talking about the matter," said Charley, "let us go to
sleep and be prepared for whatever may occur. I'll sleep with one eye
open, and be ready to rouse you up should there be a chance of our
escaping, only take care that the black fellows do not steal our rifles,
which perhaps they may attempt to do while we sleep, although they
evidently look upon them with awe, or they would have taken them from us
before."

Following Charley's advice, we placed our guns by our sides, between us,
with our hands upon them, so that we should be awakened should any one
try to draw them away. I at length fell asleep, but I was continually
fancying that something was going to occur; the camp, however, remained
perfectly quiet, the only sounds heard within it being the snoring of
the sleepers, and occasionally the shouts of the sentries as they called
to each other.

Next morning at daybreak the whole camp was roused up by King Sanga
Tanga, and the cooks set to work to dress the plantains which they had
brought with them, and the elephant-meat which they had captured. A
liberal port