Part 18 (1/2)

”And was it to Oko Sam your comrades were sold as slaves?” cried Canaris ”Why did you not o”

”I never thought of it,” rejoined Guy ”I gave them up as lost forever

Alas! they are probably in the hands of the Abyssinians now”

”Either that or dead,” said the Greek, ”but undoubtedly the for, is fond of white captives, and their lives would be spared if they fell into the hands of the raiding party”

”And how shall we find out?” demanded Guy ”I will not embark on this river until uncertainty about their fate is removed”

”When darkness comes ill leave the cavern,” replied Canaris ”It is possible we shall learn so Until then have patience”

The hours of tedious waiting were a little relieved by a discovery that Melton made

In some of the canoes he found a couple of rude bone fishhooks This seeround river, and as Guy happened to have a roll of cord, three strong lines were constructed and laid away for possible future use

When, to the best of their judgh the passage and reached the entrance shortly before ten o'clock

Darkness soon came on, and as all seemed quiet they ventured to roll back the stone and crawl out Far across the valley a faint gloas visible against the so ee, while directly north of the cavern, in the vicinity of the pool of water where the lions had been encountered the previous night, a nuh the scattered boulders

”This is the camp of the Abyssinians,” declared Canaris without hesitation ”One of us must spy into it and see if your friends are prisoners; another e for provisions, and a third man should remain here at the mouth of the cavern”

This proposed division of the forces did not please Guy and Melton

”Why must a man remain at the cavern?” demanded Chutney

”To mark the place in case one of us is pursued and loses his bearings in the darkness,” was the Greek's calm reply

Guy saw the advisability of this and made no further objection After brief discussion it was decided that he should ree and Forbes reconnoitered the Abyssinian camp Without any delay they started off on their respective missions, and Guy was left alone

For a while he paced up and down before the cavern, his rifle in the hollow of his ar down on the round stone he reflected over his perilous situation and the strange train of events that had led up to it The stars shi+ning down on him from the blackness of the African sky seelish hoain

Then he thought of his comrades in India and the expedition he had so fondly hoped to join, that even noas fighting its way through the hills of Chittagong His reverie was broken by a sharp ”hist!” and Forbes glided swiftly out of the gloom

”No, they have not been captured,” he whispered in response to Guy's eager inquiries ”I was around the camp on all sides The Abyssinians have secured so them the chief himself, Oko Sam, but none of our friends are there I am terribly afraid they have been massacred, Chutney”

”We will knohen the Greek returns,” replied Guy, who did not care to adether by the rock and conversed in low tones An hour passed and then another

”Canaris should be here by this ti have happened to hi sound was heard, two huge objects loomed out of the darkness ahead, and as Guy's hand treer of his rifle the Greek's familiar voice uttered a low excla caan Guy, but Canaris checked him instantly

”Not so loud I picked up these animals only a quarter of a mile back