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"A little farther now," said Canaris encouragingly, "and we shall be safe." Melton tried to walk faster, leaning on Guy's arm, but at last, with a moan of pain, he sank to the ground. "Go on, leave me; save yourselves," he whispered feebly, as they bent over him and tried to lift him to his feet.
"It must be found," persisted Canaris in his terror. "Hark! The firing is coming nearer. In half an hour the valley will swarm with savage foes. Go! Go! Go!" He fairly shrieked out the last words, and threw himself in despair down amid the jungle grass. The Greek did not exaggerate the danger. A startling confirmation of his fears was at hand.
Make no noise, Canaris; don't wake the rest, but help me to reach that ledge yonder and I will see where this leads." The cliff slanted indeed, but at an almost imperceptible angle. The raft tilted slightly as Canaris pushed Guy up the face of the rock, but the latter succeeded in reaching a small ledge six feet above the water. "All right," he whispered.
Here were seen the tracks of the savage, and without hesitation Guy began the descent, and half crawling, half sliding, reached firm ground a few yards below. Melton and Canaris were close behind, and together they went up into the vast expanse of the cavern.
The Somali howled with agony, letting the spear drop from his nerveless hands, and just as it clattered to the ground Canaris was upon him with a rush, and down they went together, the Somali undermost. Canaris was up in a trice, and Guy and Melton, bounding on behind, trampled the half unconscious savage under their feet. "Go on," said Guy fiercely. "We will outwit them yet.
Thinks I don't know. Bildad raving. Had to tie him to the raft. Sixth stage. Bildad and Sir Arthur very weak. Today a gleam of hope. Canaris, after many trials, caught a fish a foot long. We devoured it raw with the utmost greed. Our strength is fast leaving us. Seventh stage. Chutney still hopeful. Bildad and Sir Arthur in a bad way. Provisions for three days still remain.
Once he fancied he heard a slight rippling of water, but that, too, ceased at once. Then Sir Arthur uttered a loud shout, which speedily wakened his companions. "What's wrong?" cried the colonel anxiously. "Did some one call? I surely heard a noise." "I want a drink, that's all," said Sir Arthur. "I heard someone down at the canoes and supposed it was Canaris. Was it you, Carrington?"
"I left Cairo for Calcutta," said Canaris. "The steamer was lost off Cape Guardafui; ten of us reached shore in a boat; the Somalis slaughtered all but myself. I was sold to the Arabs and came ultimately to Harar. I was useful to Rao Khan in many ways, and my life was spared. I have been here two years, two long years. I shall never see Greece again," he added gloomily.
Carrington, Forbes, and Canaris each spoke briefly in turn; and Bildad, under the undue excitement of some wine he had managed to secure, attempted to perform a Galla war-dance on the table, and was promptly relegated to the guard-house to sober up.
"Well, it's a lucky thing for Bildad that he ran across us," was Guy's comment; and Bildad, to judge from his contented expression, seemed thoroughly to appreciate this fact. As the river continued swift and smooth, with no signs of danger ahead, all went to sleep except Canaris and the colonel, who were intrusted with the care of the raft.
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