amusing himself while he smoked his pipe with watching the
reflection of the fire-light against a patch of darkness caused probably
by some bush about twenty yards away, and by picturing in his own mind
the face of Barbara, that strong, pleasant English face, as it might
appear on such a background. Suddenly there, on the identical spot he
did see a face, though one of a very different character. It was round
and small and hideous, resembling in its general outline that of a
bloated child. At this distance he could not distinguish the features,
except the lips, which were large and pendulous, and between them the
flash of white teeth.

"Look here," he whispered to Jeekie in English, and Jeekie looked, then
without saying a word, lifted the shotgun that lay at his side and fired
straight at the bush. Instantly there arose a squeaking noise, such as
might be made by a wounded animal, and the four porters sprang up in
alarm.

"Sit down," said Jeekie to them in their own tongue, "a leopard was
stalking us and I fired to frighten it away. Don't go near the place,
as it may be wounded and angry, but drag up some boughs and make a fence
round the fire, for fear of others."

The men who dreaded leopards, looking on these animals, indeed, with
superstitious reverence, obeyed readily enough, and as there was plenty
of wood lying within a few yards, soon constructed a _boma_ fence that,
rough as it was, would serve for protection.

"Jeekie," said Alan presently as they laboured at the fence, "that was
not a leopard, it was a man."

"No, no, Major, not man, little dwarf devil, him that have poisoned
arrow. I shoot at once to make him sit up. Think he no come back
to-night, too much afraid of shot fetish. But to-morrow, can't say. Not
tell those fellows anything," and he nodded towards the porters, "or
perhaps they bolt."

"I think you would have done better to leave the dwarf alone," said
Alan, "and they might have left us alone. Now they will have a blood
feud against us."

"Not agree, Major, only chance for us put him in blue funk. If I not
shoot, presently he shoot," and he made a sound that resembled the
whistling of an arrow, then added, "Now you go sleep. I not tired, I
watch, my eyes see in dark better than yours. Only two more days of this
damn forest, then open land with tree here and there, where dwarf no
come because he afraid of lion and cannibal man, who like eat him."

As there was nothing else to be done A