ir departure had become known to the enemy, who was in hot pursuit.
It was a terribly anxious time for the invalid missionary, but Captain
Maxwell and his men were determined that she should not be captured.
Silently and without halting once, even for food, they hurried on hour
after hour, and finally arrived at Lagos, having done a six days'
journey in less than three and a half. So carefully had Captain
Maxwell's men carried Anna Hinderer that she was little the worse for
the journey, and after a few days' rest sailed for England. Two months
later her husband followed.

In the autumn of the following year Anna Hinderer and her husband
returned to Ibadan, where they were received joyfully. Anna Hinderer
resumed her work with all her former enthusiasm and love, although she
found before long that she had not sufficient strength to do all that
she had done formerly.

Two years later the chiefs of the neighbouring tribes decided to expel
all white men from their territory, and they urged the Ibadan chiefs to
adopt a similar policy. The only white people in Ibadan were the
missionaries, and these they refused to expel. Announcing their
decision to the Hinderers, the chiefs said: 'We have let you do your
work, and we have done ours, but you little know how closely we have
watched you. Your ways please us. We have not only looked at your
mouths but at your hands, and we have no complaint to lay against you.
Just go on with your work with a quiet mind; you are our friends, and
we are yours.'

Another two years of hard work followed. The schools were flourishing,
and among the pupils were children of the little ones whom, many years
previously, Anna Hinderer had taken into her home and cared for. The
chiefs continued to be friendly, and only one thing was wanting to make
Anna Hinderer perfectly happy. Frequent attacks of fever had so
weakened her that she began to feel that the work was beyond her
strength. Her husband, too, was never free from pain. They recognised
that they could not live much longer in Africa. Gladly they would have
remained and died at Ibadan, but for the knowledge that their work
could now be better carried on by younger missionaries. So with a sad
heart Anna Hinderer bade farewell to the people among whom she had
bravely toiled for seventeen years. She had lost the sight of one eye,
and the specialist whom she consulted in London assured her that had
she remained much longer in Africa s