You know I went
in rather strongly for Hebrew when I was at Oxford, and did pretty well
at it. And I don't know what you think about it, Dick, but when I come
to look at those men's faces it seems to me that they are all of quite a
distinct Jewish type--eh, what?"

"Well--yes--they certainly are," admitted Dick. "But--Hebrews! Where
the dickens can they have come from?"

"Goodness knows!" returned Grosvenor; "unless--and by Jove there may be
something in the idea--who is to say that they are not one or more of
the lost tribes--eh, what?"

"Well, of course they may be," agreed Dick. "That is rather a brilliant
idea of yours, old chap, and may be worth following up--if they give us
the chance. But not just now; there are more pressing matters claiming
our attention at this moment--these bonds of ours, for instance. I
don't know how yours are, but mine have been drawn quite unnecessarily
tight; my fingers already feel as though they are about to burst. Do
you think you could make that fellow understand that there is no need at
all to bind us, and that if he will release us we ask nothing better
than to accompany him whithersoever he may be pleased to take us?"

"Yes, I think I can," replied Grosvenor. "At all events I'll try; my
lashings are quite as uncomfortable as yours can be, I fancy."

And forthwith he shouted to the officer a lengthy if somewhat halting
communication in the best Hebrew at his command, the result being that,
after a long colloquy, the amazed officer, after considerable
hesitation, somewhat reluctantly gave the order for the prisoners' bonds
to be loosed, after cautioning them that the slightest sign of any
attempt at escape would result in the instant death of the entire party.
Then, having scored one success, Grosvenor attempted another by
suggesting that Jantje and 'Nkuku should be entrusted with the
inspanning and driving of the wagon, which could be accomplished with
much greater facility if the oxen were handled by those to whom they
were accustomed. This also the officer eventually conceded, after
carefully considering the matter for about a quarter of an hour,
meanwhile the oxen were driven very nearly mad by the vain efforts of
the soldiers to round them up and drive them towards the wagon.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

PRISONERS.

At length, after a tremendous amount of unnecessary confusion and
trouble, the oxen were inspanned, and with the usual unearthly yells and
loud cracki