A QUARREL IN CAMP 



there was plenty of time for pitching the tents and 

 collecting a stock of firewood. My first thought was 

 to have a hot bath, and the moment the water was 

 ready I tumbled into it. I was still enjoying the 

 luxury, with Clark standing by enviously awaiting 

 his turn, when a tremendous commotion suddenly 

 arose just outside the tent. Not having the least idea 

 what was happening, we both picked up something 

 in the nature of a weapon and dashed out. The first 

 thing I became aware of was a tremendous blow 

 across my right arm, a blow almost severe enough to 

 have broken it. 



All our boys seemed to be yelling, whilst half 

 a dozen of them vv^ere rolling on the ground, each 

 apparently fighting the other. It was quite impossible 

 to discover what was the matter, but by using our 

 hands and feet freely we finally succeeded in chasing 

 off all but one of them. He remained where he was, 

 lying very still. I knelt down and felt him all over, 

 but could detect no signs of Hfe. Then I asked Clark 

 for his opinion, and after a short examination he too 

 decided that the man was dead. The other boys there- 

 upon were told to take the body to one side, whilst 

 the man who had struck him was tied up and put in 

 the charge of the Askari, with a view to his being 

 delivered over to the authorities as soon as possible. 

 Needless to say, I was greatly annoyed about the 

 matter, because, quite apart from the poor fellow's 



III 



