water that will conquer us. Natur is sure to win."

"Bill's right there," said Terence, "and I feel that Nature is getting
the best of me already."

While they were holding this conversation they noticed that one of the
Kroomen kept near them, and seemed listening to all that was said. His
sparkling eyes betrayed the greatest interest.

"Do you understand us?" asked old Bill, turning sharply towards the
African, and speaking in an angry tone.

"Yus, sa--a lilly bit," answered the Krooman, without seeming to notice
the unpleasant manner in which the question had been put.

"And what are you listening for?"

"To hear what you tell um. I like go in Ingleesh ship. You talk good
for me. I go 'long with you."

With some difficulty the sailor and his companions could comprehend the
Krooman's gibberish. They managed to learn from him that he had once
been in an English ship, and had made a voyage along the African coast,
trading for palm-oil. While on board he had picked up a smattering of
English. He was afterwards shipwrecked in a Portuguese brig, cast away
on the shores of the Saara, just as our adventurers had been, and had
passed four years in the desert, a slave to its denizens.

He gratified our adventurers by telling them that they were in no danger
of having to endure a prolonged period of captivity, as they would soon
be sold into liberty, instead of slavery. Golah could not afford to
keep slaves; and was only a kidnapper and dealer in the article. He
would sell them to the highest bidder, and that would be some English
consul on the coast.

The Krooman said there was no such hope for him and his companions, for
their country did not redeem its subjects from slavery.

When he saw that Golah had obtained some English prisoners, he had been
cheered with the hope that he might be redeemed along with them, as an
English subject, to which right he had some claim from having served on
an English ship.

During the day the black slaves, well knowing the duty they were
expected to perform, had been gathering pieces of dried camels' dung
along the way: this was to supply fuel for the fire of the _douar_ at
night.

Soon after sunset Golah ordered a halt, when the camels were unloaded,
and the tents set up.

About one quarter the quantity of _sangleh_ that each required was then
served out to the slaves for their dinner, and as they had eaten nothing
since morning, this article of food appeared to have g