bably also asleep. Had an enemy
attacked the village, the whole of the inhabitants might have been
slaughtered before they had time to unite and offer the slightest
resistance.

We began to congratulate ourselves that we should get a good distance
from the village before our flight was discovered. Already we had
reached the north end of the high street, and were about to emerge into
the open country, when we heard a shout uttered by a single voice.

"Who speaks?" I asked of Aboh, who was near me.

"Him doctor," said Aboh, "sleep one eye open."

"Don't answer him," said Charley, "push on; if we get a good start, they
are not likely to follow us in the dark."

Fearing that our native allies might be ready to yield, we told them to
go on, while Tom and I dropped to the rear to defend them should we be
attacked. We now heard several other voices. In a short time the whole
village was in an uproar, men shouting, dogs barking, women screaming,
fancying, perhaps, that the place was attacked. We feared, of course,
that the true state of the case would soon be discovered, and that we
should be followed. Whether Ombay and his people would venture to
molest us was the question. We marched on steadily, but we had not gone
far when we knew, by the increasing noise, that some of the people were
on our track. Charley advised us not to fire unless it should become
absolutely necessary. The shouts and angry cries of the savages drew
nearer and nearer. It was evident that they were rushing on pell mell,
still, as long as no arrows were shot at us, we were resolved not to
fire. Just then the moon, though waning, rose above the horizon, and
showed us a mass of dark forms, waving their weapons, shouting and
howling, not a hundred yards off. Tom and I turned round and presented
our rifles, shouting loudly to them to keep back. The moonbeams
gleaming on the barrels showed the blacks what we were about, and the
mob halting we rejoined our companions; again we pushed on. The number
of our pursuers increased, we had, however, made up our minds not to
yield and not to return; as soon as they saw us again moving on, they
began to scamper towards us, shouting as before.

"They beat me at that," observed Tom, "but if they don't look out, I'll
give them some cause to shriek."

Soon after he had spoken an arrow flew near our ears, but fortunately
did not strike any of the people ahead of us, another and another
followed, at last