g into the bush; and they
won't stop running till they get back to the river. In that case,
when we have allowed them all to pass we can go boldly on, and
overtake the column at their halting place, this evening.

"If, on the other hand, our fellows make a running fight of it, the
enemy will follow them till they get near Coomassie, and we shall
have to make a big detour to get in. That we shall be able to do so
I have no doubt, but the serious part of the business is the
question of food. However, we know that the natives can find food,
and it is hard if we do not manage to get some.

"Making the necessary detour, and cutting our way a good deal
through the bush, we can calculate upon getting there in less than
four days' march. We have food enough for today, and a very little
will enable us to hold on for the next four days."

They moved slowly on. The firing increased in violence, and it was
evident that a very heavy engagement was going on. Two hours later
they heard a sound of hurrying feet in the path and, peering
through the bush, saw a crowd of the Ashantis running along, in
single file, at the top of their speed.

"Hooray! It is evident that they have got a thorough licking,"
Lisle said. "They will soon be all past. Our greatest fear will
then be that a few of the most plucky of them will rally in the
bush, when they see that none of our troops come along. Our troops
are not likely to follow them up, as they will be well content with
the victory they have evidently gained, and resume their march."

They waited for an hour and, when they were on the point of getting
up and making for the path, the Sikh said:

"Someone is coming in the bush."

In another minute, four natives came suddenly upon them; whether
they came from the force that had been routed, or were newly
arriving from some village behind, the two fugitives knew not; nor,
indeed, had they any time to consider. They threw themselves, at
once, into one of the divisions at the base of a giant cotton tree.

These divisions, of which there may be five or six round the tree,
form solid buttresses four or five inches thick, projecting twenty
or thirty feet from the front, and rising as many feet high; thus
affording the tree an immense support, when assailed by tropical
storms.

Illustration: Two of them fell before Lisle's revolver.

The natives, seeing that the two men were apparently unarmed,
rushed forward, firing their guns as they did so.