THE CAPTIVE AND HIS CAPTORS. 



279 



It was unfortunate, but really there was no help for it, since common prudence 

 suggested the step. 



The next plan of the lad was a natural one, even though it gave little promise 

 of success; he meant to try to throw his captors off their guard, with a view to gain- 

 ing a chance of escaping in the darkness. 



By this time the night was well advanced, and he showed a wish to sleep by 

 stretching out on the ground with the air of one extremely tired. The natives helped 

 to oblige him by tossing the canvas to him. Though it still retained a good deal of 

 its moisture, Dick folded it under his head as a pillow, and acted the part of a 

 sleeper to perfection. 



His situation was not what he desired, for the savages were on every side of him, 

 but to have tried to improve it would have awakened the suspicion of the natives, 

 if indeed they were not already awakened. 



In due time, the prisoner closed his eyes and breathed slowly and regularly, but, 

 all the same, he was taking sly peeps from the corners of his eyelids, and watching 

 those of the natives whom he could see without turning his head. 



The outlook was not encouraging. About half lay down to slumber, but the 

 rest continued smoking their pipes, exchanging their queer-sounding words and 

 showing no more inclination to sleep than if they had done nothing else for a week. 



Still Dick did not yield hope, but kept his eyes apparently closed, while he 

 looked between the eyelids for a chance to steal away in the gloom. 



What might have been anticipated took place. Without a thought of his 

 liability to do so, the lad fell asleep and never opened his eyes until some one 

 touched his shoulder. Then when he looked around he saw that daylight had 

 come. 



The natives were ready to move, and their captive was to bear them company. 

 They evidently considered the meal of the previous evening all-sufficient, for, 

 though enough fragments remained to form quite a repast, they left them lying on 

 the ground. These wild men were without any horses, and, when they started ofl 

 with the lad, took a southerly course, walking at a moderate pace, which they were 

 capable of continuing many hours. 



" I wonder how far we have to go," was the thought of Dick Brownell; " it is 

 cool and delightful now, but the African weather will soon be on us again and I 

 would much rather have my pony." 



The ground over which they were traveling was more undulating than that to 

 which he was accustomed, it being nothing more than a succession of hills, some 

 of them wooded, while others were covered with the grassy growth peculiar to the 

 country. Several times the party passed near the river, never quite reaching it, 

 but at a distance of less than two miles from the piece of jungle where they had 

 spent the night, they reached a slight elevation from whose summit Dick Brownell 

 looked down on what proved to be the homes of his captors. 



To the unbounded astonishment of the lad, the end of the journey was reached 

 within the succeeding half hour. 



