Part 42 (1/2)
”We take rank with Muata, if he is the head chief; not out of pride, you understand, but out of policy So just keep cool Just look as if you were a sixth-form boy approached by a deputation frohty as a----”
”Fresh ”Me, too;” and he put on a high and hty look
”Don't overdo it, rave s up, and they breasted the slope in single file at a hich quickly got over the ground On reaching the ledge they advanced at a trot up to within a few feet, when they suddenly halted, grounded their spears with a clang, and raised the right hand with the fingers spread They were fine lads, straight of limb, supple and lithe, without, however, lances, with a certain quality of wildness in the eyes, ranged over the three seated and silent whites
”Greeting, O white men from out the forest, and the water beyond, and the father of waters beyond that” The spokesreat black one, the river-wolf--he who ate and slew theto the lion- killer, the cleaver of heads, theboat Greeting to the young lions who slew the tree-lion”
”What is your word?”
”The great chief awaits at the war council”
”Go down and tell your chief ill descend e have made war medicine”
”Wow!” The spokesman fell back into the ranks The seven warriors stood for a time in silence; then, at a word froh a salute, turned, andas they went, as an acco stride
”What is the war medicine we are to make, sir?”
”Just the remains of our breakfast and supper, with a dose of quinine to finish up”
”And those chaps will be telling the people down below that we are ht, and ward off spears, bullets, ive thee, if they think all that,” said Mr
Hume, coolly, as he inspected the rations
CHAPTER XVIII
THE FIGHT IN THE DEFILE
In the afternoon, having hidden away the reserve ammunition, they at last went down to the war council assee Mindful of the instructions of Mr Hume, the two boys were quite self-possessed and incurious, though it was a great effort to restrain expressions of surprise when they were face to face with Muata
If they were under the necessity to play a part, so in a greater measure was he The men about him were a mixed lot--of adventurers who had been coitives who had escaped fros--and they were of several tribes Only a strong hand could keep them in order, and Muata could not afford for a moment to sacrifice his authority He was reeting of his old white friends without a sign of cordiality
His naturally fine face was hideous in war-paint, two lines of yellow extending to his ears fro fro black feathers were secured in his head circlet, and about his throat he wore a necklace orilla and the claws of a lion His eyes were fierce and bright, and the quivering of his nostrils showed also that he was labouring under suppressed excitenized at once that he was face to face with a crisis, and instinctively he realized that it depended on hi companions, but for Muata also His cal of black faces behind the chief He saw there were two parties On one side were the young warriors, ht up in the valley; on the other was a larger nu looks told a tale of distrust and incipient revolt
”Behold,” he said,up his mind to the role he would play, ”we are the chief's 'whitemedicine Shall I speak, O black bull of the forest?”
”Speak,” said Muata, who had caught the hunter's eye when he acknowledged himself to be the chief's white man
”Thus says the medicine,” said the hunter, in his deep tones ”There are wolves on the way to eat up the people of this place”
”Eh--hum!” sneered the older men ”We know”