hild. At any rate, soliloquised
Birnier, he had at least one man upon whom he could rely.

At the head of the bayou they reached higher ground and the path zigzagged
through dense jungle thick with fan palms. The longer Birnier pondered
upon the situation the nearer he came towards the conclusion that he had
better make his escape as soon as possible, or he would never have the
chance. Rather by the uneasy glances of Mungongo, who dared not speak, did
he guess that they had left the regular trail to the coast. What their
destination was he could not imagine. Probably, he thought grimly, to make
an end of the whole party and return to the camp. Yet why trouble to
travel so far? And another good reason to hasten an escape was that,
although for the moment he was in good health, a few days of exposure
would subject him to fever and consequent weakness.

Now and again the theme "a toi" would return like the refrain of a song to
which he found himself keeping step; but the words sometimes became
meaningless; for in the merciful way that nature has, the impulse of
self-preservation so occupied his mind that he had scarcely leisure to
worry over marital troubles.

At the end of about two hours, when the heat of the sun was beginning to
be felt severely, the corporal called a halt in the shade of a great
baobab. Birnier sat down with his back against the bole. Alongside him
squatted the corporal deliberately and called to the women for a gourd of
juwala. There is a certain acid odour which native beer has that is
particularly irritating to a dry palate. The corporal drank deep, sighed
with satisfaction and set the gourd beside him almost touching the feet of
the white. Involuntarily Birnier swallowed. The corporal saw and grinned.
Birnier understood and turned his back to the man. Immediately the
corporal arose and lowering his bayonet until it pricked the sleeve of
Birnier's coat, ordered him to get up. In the knowledge that he would be
instantly shot by the others if he attempted to resist, he had perforce to
obey.

Outside the shade of the great tree, in the full glare of the sun, was the
white man compelled to sit while the black corporal, with the rifle ready
across his knee, drank deep and handed the gourd to his fellows. Again
Birnier turned his back to him. But he began to realise faintly what
treatment he would receive before the end came and an intimate knowledge
of native ingenuity made him feel physically sick.