me, till at
length a man, of whom at that distance they could see only that he was
old and stout, came and drove them away, and they broke up laughing.

"That is the Yellow Devil," said Otter, "and those men were looking at
the maid who is called the Shepherdess. She is locked up there until the
hour comes for her to be sold. They will be the bidders."

Leonard made no reply; he was studying the place. Presently a drum was
beaten, and men appeared carrying large tin pails of smoking stuff.

"Yonder is the food for the slaves," said Otter again. "See, they are
going to feed them."

The men with the pails, accompanied by some of the officers having
_sjambochs_ or hide whips in their hands, advanced across the open space
till they came to the moat which separated the slave camp from the
Nest, whence they called to the sentry on the embankment to let down
the drawbridge. He obeyed and they crossed. Each man with a bucket was
followed by another who bore a wooden spoon, while a third behind them
carried water in a large gourd. Having come to the first of the open
sheds, they began their rounds, the man with the wooden spoon ladling
out portions of the stiff porridge and throwing it down upon the ground
before each slave in turn as food is thrown to a dog. Then the Arab with
the gourd poured water into wooden bowls, that the captives might drink.

Presently there was a halt, and the officers gathered together to
discuss something.

"A slave is sick," said Otter.

The knot separated, but a big white man with a hippopotamus-hide whip
began to strike at a dark thing on the ground which did not seem to
move.

The man ceased beating and called aloud. Then two of the Arabs went to
the little guard-house that was by the drawbridge and brought tools
with which they loosed the fetters on the limbs of the poor
creature--apparently a woman--thus freeing her from the long iron bar.
This done, some of the officers sauntering after them, they dragged
the body to the high enclosure of earth and up a short ladder having a
wooden platform at the top of it, that overhung the deep canal below.

"This is how the Yellow Devil buries his dead and cures his sick," said
Otter.

"I have seen enough," answered Leonard, and began to descend the tree
hastily, an example which Otter followed with more composure.

"Ah! Baas," he said when they reached the ground, "you are but a
chicken. The hearts of those who have dwelt in slave camps are st