THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



We turned in. As I reached over to extinguish 

 the lantern I issued my last command for the day. 



"Watcha kalele, Saa-sita," I told the askari; and 

 at once he lifted up his voice to repeat my words. 

 "Watcha kalele!" Immediately from the Respon- 

 sible all over camp the word came back — from 

 gunbearers, from M'ganga, from tent boys — "kal- 

 ele! kalele! kalele!" 



Thus commanded, the boisterous fun, the low 

 croon of intimate talk, the gently rising and falling 

 tide of melody fell to complete silence. Only re- 

 mained the crackling of the fire and the innumer- 

 able voices of the tropical night. 



88 



