Samba

der of

t!" exclaimed Barney, waking with

dú bao ya

'd be meaning. Off! Run! Nand

y Samba's warnings, for he ran silently, without growl or bark. They came to the

a!" he cried. "Be

ager excitement into the big negro's sleepy ears, Nando at last bestirred h

the door of the tent. "Bad man go round round, hide in trees, come like leopard. Massa gon

ug. "Another alarm, eh?" He pressed the button of an

," said Jack. "Some black fellows ar

ns?" said Mr. Martindale

, hundred,

, I suppose! Well

more than a dozen, after all, and our men are not a

er arm my men, and I wish I'd taken his tip. We're in a tight corner

ng ribber, sah: big lot guns, 'Bini guns, massa, go crack, crack.

rror; there was no doubt he beli

come?" asked M

oat,

e are

all up ri

e you've alar

Me no tell o

our fellows were armed, we might lay a trap for 'em; but we aren't strong enough for that. But p

take the off

d'you

em are marching round. They'd hear our

l try it. Go and w

on his way to the tent, Jack

man came up. "You must do the best you can if there's a rush.

ed the revol

illelagh!" he muttered as he went awa

Nando, lea

es opened wi

nly see small small. Boy Samba him eyes berrah fin

ncy between Nando's statement and the story he had already told. Nando called to Samba and told him what was required, and the party set o

very hard as he followed Samba down the rough descent to the brink o

sked Mr. Martind

, massa," re

ecious canoes we'll fire both barrels o

hem with a r

do, you'll bawl your loudest, and the boy too. If I know these niggers they'll bolt. And look here, Jack, fire in th

rward, then Samba ran back, clutc

gro, under his breath. "Oh!

ire. Now, Jack, ready? I'll

d to the din by a furious barking. The noise, even to those who made it, was sufficiently startling in the deep silence of the night. Jack fired his two shots, but before his uncle had reloaded there

chuckle. "Now we'll get back. They've had a scare.

river bank below, and revealed five

d of them," he added. "Each of th

; but they were yelling, running this way and that, tumbling over one another in the darkness. The sight of Mr. Martindale's round red face behind his electric torch reassured them; and when Nando, who had now quite recovered his spirits, tol

ere safe, curled himself up on his mat with the inseparable terrier, and slept until the dawn.

we might easily have been wiped out. And from what Nando says they are those villainous forest guards of the Concession. What's the meaning of it? It may be that the Concession have repent

le. It's such a risky game to play, your ex

He can always disavow the actions of those natives. At any rate, I

an't us

musketry instructor. Meanwhile I must give that fellow Nando

heir canoes afloat and drifted down stream in the darkness. They had no doubt reckoned on surprising the camp, and their calculations had been upset by th

e around the tent, and, sitting on a stool in front of it, with J

leased with your wa

dicrous air of importance transl

rised in the dark: you did very well, a

clebber, sa

uarded, and punish any carelessness. But now, to show how pl

oes, looking round upon them with an expression of triumphant satisfaction that

ndale, "I want you to tell us how you cam

ng from foot to foot. Then inspiration seized him; he elaborately cleared his

like me no see nuffin. Yah! me see all same, wait long time, man no fit for see Nando. Bimeby man come down like snake, creep, creep, 'long, 'long; me go too, what for? 'cos man plenty bad man, him go 'Bini gun, him go into wood. What for? Muss see; s'pose he go fetch bad man and shoot massa? He no come dis way 'less he lib for do bad fings. Him got 'Bini

d, looking troubled. Then his face clear

2] Dey talk, oh yes! whish! whish! same as trees when wind make talk. Me get behind tree; me hab got two, four, twenty ears. Me listen! Dey say co

these bad men?" inte

ah!-Samba

you tell that

ne, two, twenty tiny

said Mr. Martindale. "How did yo

tiny men; dey plenty small, plenty good fighter all same; shoot one, two, free

ow, and you did very well.

a hook, and an awl. Nando's eyes opened wide with delight; he chuckled gloatingly as one after another these treasures came to vie

this handsome presentation, will I have

like," said Mr. Mar

do, would you plase tell us if you a

," corrected Ja

sorr! Would you plase te

er. He seemed to suspect a pitfall, but was p

r did ye not, eat a big supper

g he was expected to defend himself against a char

ut his meaning with pantomime-"nor dream all that

Nando, indignantly. "Me

Nando. I dreamt you was snoring like a pig-like a common black pig, to be sure; and there came a little spalpeen uv a black bho

nd more uneasy, here interrupted,

ssing his hands to the pit of his stomach.

k away, Jack roaring with laughter, Mr. Mar

ng by the card, till the bhoy Samba woke him up. 'Twas Samba, sorr, that spied the enemy, and 'twas me little

oke into hearty laughter. He called for Samb

?" cried Mr. Martindale. "H

red his composure, and translated with glib and smiling unconcern the story which S

ot manioc nudder time," he s

Wake

Hu