he asked quietly, having been
much subdued by the fiery rockets.

"You made the law, mother, that all should work, and I have honoured
it. See that you honour it also."

"Yebo, great one. We women do not complain. It is a joy to us to see
the men work also. Maybe in time," she added significantly, "the
great one will do his turn also."

"Each in his turn, mother."

He went on up to the gorge, where Venning was on duty, remained a
few minutes inspecting the work of wall-building, which should have
been done before for defence, then appointed one of the headmen as
overseer, and went on with Venning to the river outlet, where
Compton was in charge. An overseer was appointed there, and Compton
went on a tour of inspection from gang to gang, while the other two
made a close investigation of the cliff for an entrance to the
caves. The two following days they each in turn acted as general
inspector of the works, while the two disengaged made a close
inspection of the cliff; but at the end of the third day they had no
success to report.

"The only thing to do now," said Mr. Hume, "is to visit the pool,
and make a close examination of the walls."

"We could not examine the wall without swimming in the pool," said
Venning, "and before I do that I am prepared to stay here a very
long time."

"I cannot say I relish the idea myself, but I see no other way out
of the mess. We must have the Okapi before the full moon. I will
take a look at the pool alone to-morrow."

CHAPTER XX

THE SECRET WAY

But when day dawned the vice-chief was summoned to hear a message
from Muata, who had reported that Hassan had discovered the dark
river leading up to the tabooed pool, and was sending up a strong
fleet of canoes, while still more canoes were gathering on the other
river by which he had made his first attack. His orders were that a
body of picked men were to join him to take part in an attack on the
first body of the enemy. Mr. Hume was fully occupied in carrying out
these instructions, but on the chiefs mother suggesting that the
chosen band should be accompanied by the Young Lion, he emphatically
declined to allow this.

"As you wish to keep us here," he said, "we will stay here; and,
take notice, we have already seen what was in the mind of the chief
by taking steps to protect the entrance above the tabooed water."

The chiefs mother desisted, but she went up to interview the two
young chiefs.

"The great one," she sa