e path.

There he made a long gash on the bark of a tree and, fifty yards
farther, he made two similar gashes. Then, certain that he could
find the place on his return, he went off at a trot along the path.

It was eight o'clock in the evening before he reached camp. On the
way, he had met with nothing that betokened danger; there had been
no voices in the woods. When about halfway to camp, he came across
a number of dead bodies on the path and, looking into the bush,
found many more scattered about. It was evident that the little
British force had turned upon their assailants, and had effected a
crushing defeat upon them.

He was hailed by a sentry as he approached the camp but, upon his
reply, was allowed to pass. As he came to the light of a fire,
round which the white officers were sitting, there was a general
shout of surprise and pleasure.

"Is it you or your ghost, Bullen?" the commanding officer
exclaimed, as all leapt to their feet.

"I am a very solid person, Colonel; as you will see, if you offer
me anything to eat or drink. I am pretty well exhausted now and, as
I have got another twenty-mile tramp before I sleep, you may guess
that I shall be glad of solid and liquid refreshment."

"You shall have both, my dear boy. We had all given you up for
dead. When we saw you washed down, we were afraid that you were
lost. The only hope was that the current might bring you over to
our side again, and we went two or three miles down the stream to
look for you. We hunted again still more carefully the next
morning, and it was not until the afternoon that we moved.

"We encamped only three miles from the river, hoping still that you
might come up before the morning. We started at daybreak this
morning. We were harassed from the first, but the affair became so
serious that we halted and faced about, left a handful of men to
protect the coolies and carriers; and then sent two companies out
into the bush on each side, and went at them. Fortunately they
fought pluckily, and when at last they gave way they left, I should
say, at least a third of their number behind them.

"We did not stop to count. I sent a small party at full speed along
the path, so as to keep them on the run, and then marched on here
without further molestation.

"And now, about yourself; how on earth have you managed to get in?"

"Well, sir, I can tell it in a few words. The current took us to
the opposite shore. We lay concealed under the bu