276 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



Instantly Barrett covered the woman with 

 the rifle. The frightened creature dropped the 

 gourds and began to sob; the boy turned and 

 bolted down the trail. 



A moment later the woman spoke, and Bar- 

 rett recognised a friendly tongue. At once he 

 explained his situation, and the woman turned 

 and walked with him down the path. Suddenly 

 the war dnuns began beating; the boy had 

 given the alarm. Terrifying as the sound had 

 once been, it was now to Barrett the sweetest 

 music. 



In a remarkably short time the warriors, 

 armed with spears and big shields, appeared; 

 but when they saw Barrett returning with the 

 woman, who threw up her hands and shouted 

 to them, they stopped. In a few minutes more 

 Barrett was telling his story to the chief. In 

 an hour the white man was eating the first 

 substantial meal that he had had in three days. 



He rested until noon and then set out with 

 a guide for the Nile, which was distant only a 

 short day's march. Soon after dark that eve- 

 ning he reached a village on the bank of the 

 river, and stayed there until the mail-boat 

 arrived, two days later, and took him aboard. 



