together with
a brisk crackling sound which he at once recognised as that of camp
fires. A minute or two later, having meanwhile taken cover, he sighted
the camp, which proved to be, as he had of course expected, that of the
slave-traders and their unhappy victims.

The caravan, or "cauffle," had just camped for the night, and its
members were busily engaged in preparing the evening meal, Cupid was
therefore able to approach the camp closely enough to catch a great deal
of the conversation of the slave-traders, as well as to make a pretty
accurate guess at their number and that of their victims. Later on he
was able to ascertain the exact number of the former, which totalled
eighty-two, while the slaves he estimated to number from a thousand to
fifteen hundred. Maintaining his concealment, but steadily working his
way ever closer to the camp fire, the Krooboy ultimately wriggled
himself into a position so close to the spot where the chiefs of the
band had seated themselves that he was able without difficulty to catch
every word spoken by them; and although his knowledge of the Spanish and
Portuguese languages was exceedingly limited, yet by listening patiently
to everything that was said during the somewhat dilatory progress of the
meal, and afterwards while the leaders smoked and chatted prior to
turning-in for the night, he was able to gather that the remaining
distance of the journey was to be divided into three marches, the last
of which was to bring the party to the shore of the lagoon pretty early
in the afternoon of the day following that of Cupid's return to us.

Then, having learned this, the Krooboy had waited until the leaders of
the expedition had bestowed themselves for the night, and the occupants
of the camp generally were settling to rest after the hot and toilsome
march of the past day, when he cautiously left his place of concealment
and, mingling with the unhappy captives, had contrived to communicate to
several of them the joyful news that in due time, and upon their arrival
at a certain spot already fixed upon, the cauffle would be ambuscaded
and the dealers and escort attacked and captured, after which the slaves
would be released and supplied with food and water to enable them to
return to their homes. He did this, he said, not only to comfort and
encourage them but also to put them on their guard against falling into
a panic at the critical moment and getting themselves hurt.

The skipper l