"One of us must spy into it and see if your friends are
prisoners; another must go to the village for provisions, and a third
man should remain here at the mouth of the cavern."

This proposed division of the forces did not please Guy and Melton.

"Why must a man remain at the cavern?" demanded Chutney.

"To mark the place in case one of us is pursued and loses his bearings
in the darkness," was the Greek's calm reply.

Guy saw the advisability of this and made no further objection. After
brief discussion it was decided that he should remain on guard, while
Canaris visited the village and Forbes reconnoitered the Abyssinian
camp. Without any delay they started off on their respective missions,
and Guy was left alone.

For a while he paced up and down before the cavern, his rifle in the
hollow of his arm, and then sitting down on the round stone he reflected
over his perilous situation and the strange train of events that had led
up to it. The stars shining down on him from the blackness of the
African sky seemed to whisper of his far-away English home and the
friends he would probably never see again.

Then he thought of his comrades in India and the expedition he had so
fondly hoped to join, that even now was fighting its way through the
hills of Chittagong. His reverie was broken by a sharp "hist!" and
Forbes glided swiftly out of the gloom.

"No, they have not been captured," he whispered in response to Guy's
eager inquiries. "I was around the camp on all sides. The Abyssinians
have secured some Galla prisoners, and among them the chief himself, Oko
Sam, but none of our friends are there. I am terribly afraid they have
been massacred, Chutney."

"We will know when the Greek returns," replied Guy, who did not care to
admit his belief that Melton was right.

They sat down together by the rock and conversed in low tones. An hour
passed and then another.

"Canaris should be here by this time," said Guy uneasily. "Can anything
have happened to him, I wonder?"

Almost as he spoke a muffled trampling sound was heard, two huge objects
loomed out of the darkness ahead, and as Guy's hand trembled on the
trigger of his rifle the Greek's familiar voice uttered a low
exclamation and he advanced slowly, leading two big camels loaded down
with trappings.

"Well by Jove----" began Guy, but Canaris checked him instantly.

"Not so loud. I picked up these animals only a quarter of a mile back.
They have strayed away fr