rouble in a big pot like the witches! I
know the Germans! I am Nyamwezi. I was born not far from here, and
ran away as soon as I was old enough because the Germans shot my father
and let my mother and brothers starve to death. I did not starve,
because one of them took me for a servant; but I ran away from him.
My heart is very sad to be in this place! They ask what of a hoard of
ivory. I tell them I do not know, and they threaten to beat me! This
place is bad! Let us go away to-night!"

There was no sleep that night for any of us. My wound hurt too much.
The others were too worried. By the light of the lantern in Fred's
tent we cooked up a story to tell that we hoped would induce the
Germans to let us wander where we chose.

"Sure, they'll watch us!" Will admitted. "But as our only real reason
for coming down here--leaving Brown's cattle out of the reckoning--was
to throw people off the scent, in what way are we worse off? The lake
is big enough to lose ourselves in! What is it--two hundred and fifty
miles long by as many broad? D'you mean we can't give their sleuths
the slip? We can't beat that for a plan: let 'em keep on thinking we
know where Tippoo hid the stuff. If we succeed in losing 'em they'll
think we're at large in German East and keep on hunting for us--whereas
we'll really be up in British East. Let's send a telegram in code to
Monty!"

Then Fred thought of an idea that in the end solved our biggest
problem, although we did not think much of it at the time.

"They may refuse to take a telegram in code," he said. "It's likely
they'll open letters. (We can try the code, of course. They'll
probably take our money, and put their experts on deciphering the
message. They'll say it was lost if there are any inquiries
afterward.) I propose we send a straight-out cablegram advising Monty
of our whereabouts (they'll let that go through) and warning him to ask
for letters at the Bank in Mombasa before he does anything else."

"Yes, but--" Will objected.

"Wait!" said Fred. "I haven't finished. Then write two letters: one
full of any old nonsense, to be sent in the regular way by mail.
They'll open that. The other to go by runner. Kazimoto can find us a
runner. He knows these Wan-yamwezi. He can pick a man who'll get
through without fail."

We could think of nothing to say against the plan. The argument that
the German government would scarcely stoop to opening private mail did