understand that, chief," he said, "and I think you should
keep a very strong guard, every night, till we move away."

"Good man," the chief said, "you have fought by our side, and are
no longer a prisoner but a friend. When spring comes, you shall go
back to your own people."

It took some hours to remove the dead, of whom there were
forty-three; and the badly wounded, who numbered twenty-two--but
there was no doubt that many more had managed to crawl away.

Lisle now set to work to learn the language, in earnest. A boy was
told off by the chief to be his companion and, at the end of two
months, Lisle was able to converse without difficulty. The chief
had already told him that he could leave when he liked, but that it
would be very dangerous for him to endeavour to make his way to the
frontier, especially as the tribe they had fought against occupied
the intervening country.

"When we get among the hills, I will give you four men to act as
your escort down the passes; but you will have to go in disguise
for, after the fighting that has taken place, and the destruction
of the villages, even if peace is made it would not be safe for a
white man to travel among the mountains. He would certainly be
killed."

Every precaution was taken against attack, and six men were
stationed at the hedge, all night. Two or three times noises were
heard, which seemed to proceed from a considerable body of men. The
guard fired, but nothing more was heard. Evidently a surprise had
been intended but, directly it was found that the garrison were on
watch, and prepared, the idea was abandoned; for the lesson had
been so severe that even the hope of revenge was not sufficient to
induce them to run the risk of its repetition.

Lisle did not fret at his enforced stay. He was very popular in the
little village, and was quite at home with the chief's family. The
choicest bits of meat were always sent to him; and he was treated
as an honoured guest, in every way.

"When you return to your people," the chief said, one day, "please
tell them that, henceforth, we shall regard them as friends; and
that, if they choose to march through our country, we will do all
we can to aid them, by every means in our power."

"I will certainly tell them so," Lisle replied, "and the kindness
you have shown me will assuredly be rewarded."

"I regret that we fought against you," the chief said, "but we were
misled. They will not take away our rifles from us,