soldiers were
leaning or squatting everywhere as we crossed the several court-yards,
one after the other, until, by the direction of one of the officials who
had joined us on entering, we were led through a low arched door, and
thence a dozen soldiers who had come forward hurried us down a flight of
dark damp steps into a foul noisome chamber below.

Struggles and protestations were useless. We were pushed forward into a
deep narrow cell lit only by a tiny crack in the paving of the court
above and the door quickly bolted upon us.

"Well, this is certainly a dire misfortune," I said, when we had both
walked round inspecting the black dank walls of our prison. "I wonder
what fate is in store for us?"

"Though they destroyed my jujus, they cannot invoke the curses of Zomara
upon me," he said. "The Crocodile-god will not hear any enemies of the
Naya."

"But have you no idea whatever of the motive Kouaga has had in bringing
you hither?" I asked.

"Not the slightest," he answered, seating himself at last on the stone
bench to rest. "It is evident, however, that he is a traitor in the pay
of Samory. On each occasion when the Moslem chief endeavoured to conquer
our country, it was Kouaga who assumed the generalship of our troops; it
was Kouaga who fought valiantly for his queen with his own keen sword; it
was Kouaga who drove back the enemy and urged our hosts to slaughter them
without mercy; and it was Kouaga who, with fiendish hatred, put the
prisoners to the torture. In him my mother had a most trusted servant."

"He doesn't seem very trustworthy now," I observed. "It seems to me we
are caught like rats in a trap."

"True," he said. "We are beset by dangers, but may the blessings of their
Allah turn to curses upon their heads. It may be that our ignominious
situation will not satisfy the malice that Samory has conceived against
me, but if a single hair of the head of either of us is injured, Zomara,
the Crocodile-god, will punish those who seek our discomfiture."

It occurred to me that it was all very well to speak in this strain, but
as no man is a prince except in his own country, it seemed idle to expect
mercy or pity. Omar was in prison for some unknown offence, and I was
held captive with a well-remembered threat from Kouaga that my life
should be sacrificed.

For six hours we remained without food, but when the light above had
quite faded, three soldiers with clanging swords unbarred the door and
pushed t