g is a
sort of connecting link between them. I vote that we stop at the
next one we come to."

"All right, old man! It seems to me that it will make no great
difference which way we go. Indeed, so far as I can make out, by
the glimpses we get of the sun, the path has turned a great deal,
and is now going right back to that from which it started."

"I am afraid you are right, Hallett. However, there is one thing
certain. The Ashantis don't cut paths through their forests without
some reason, and I should not be surprised if we come to some large
village, not far ahead."

After walking for another half hour, they found the bush getting
thinner, and they could soon see light ahead. They went very
cautiously now and, at last, stood at the end of a large clearing,
in which stood an Ashanti village.

"Thank God there is something to eat ahead!" said Hallett. "There
are lots of bananas growing round the village and, when it gets
dark, we will get two big bunches. That should last us some time."

Utterly exhausted, they both lay down just inside the bush. Many
villagers were moving about and, twice, native runners came in. The
afternoon passed very slowly; but at length the sun set, and
darkness fell quickly. They waited a couple of hours, to allow the
village to get comparatively quiet; then they crept forward, and
cut two great bunches of bananas from the first tree they came to
and, returning to the forest, sat down and ate a hearty meal.

"I feel very much better," Hallett said, when he had finished.
"Now, let us talk over what we had better do next."

"I should say we had better keep along by the edge of the bush, and
see if we can strike some other path. It would be useless to go
back by this one, as it would simply take us to the place we
started from."

Hallett readily agreed to this suggestion, and the two officers
started and gradually worked round the village. Presently they
struck another path. Turning up this they again pushed forward,
each carrying his bunch of bananas. After walking two hours, they
lay down. The darkness was so dense that their rate of progress was
extremely slow.

In the morning they went on again but, after walking for some
hours, they came suddenly upon four of the enemy. As soon as these
saw them, they rushed on them with a yell, firing their guns as
they did so. Both were struck with slugs; and Lisle was knocked
down, but quickly jumped to his feet again, revolver in hand. The