some time impatiently brushed away the big blue flies; the same
kind as those which Stas saw among the burnt debris of Fashoda.

After this he continued thus:

"Pay close attention to what I tell you. About a day's journey towards
the south there is an isolated mountain, not higher than twenty-six
hundred and twenty feet; it looks like a pan turned upside down. Its
sides are steep, and the only way of reaching it is by a rocky ridge so
narrow that in some places two horses can barely proceed on it side by
side. On its flat top, which is about thirty-five hundred feet wide,
there was a negro village, but the Mahdists slaughtered and carried
away the residents. It may be that this was done by that same Smain
whom I defeated, but those slaves I did not capture because he had
previously despatched them under an escort to the Nile. Settle on that
mountain. There is a spring of excellent water, a few manioc fields,
and a multitude of bananas. In the huts you will find a great many
human bones, but do not fear infection from the corpses, as after the
dervishes there were ants there, which drove us from the place. And
now, not a living creature! Remain in that village a month or two. At
such a height there is no fever. Nights are cool. There your little one
will recover her health, and you will gain new strength."

"And what am I to do afterwards, and where shall I go?"

"After that it will be as God disposes. Try to get through to Abyssinia
in places situated farther than where the dervishes have reached, or
ride to the east--I heard that the coast Arabs are reaching some kind
of lake in their search for ivory which they purchase from the Samburu
and Wahima tribes."

"Wahima? Kali comes from the Wahima tribe."

Here Stas began to narrate to Linde the manner in which he inherited
Kali after Gebhr's death and that Kali had told him that he was the son
of the ruler of all the Wahimas.

But Linde received this information more indifferently than Stas
expected.

"So much the better," he said, "as he may be helpful to you. Among the
blacks there are honest souls, though as a rule you cannot depend upon
their gratitude; they are children who forget what happened the day
before."

"Kali will not forget that I rescued him from Gebhr's hands, I am sure
of that."

"Perhaps," Linde said, and pointing at Nasibu added: "He also is a good
child; take him with you after my death."

"Do not speak of death, sir."

"My dear boy,"