red that
it must be he of whom our guide spoke.

We were hurrying on all this time entirely under the guidance of the
strange being who had set us free, but not without protests from the
black, who was growing jealous of our guide and who kept on whispering:

"No go no farrer, Mass Joe, Jimmy fine a doctor an Mass Jack Penny. Hi
come along Jimmy now."

He was just repeating this in my ear when we were hurrying on faster,
for the sounds of our pursuers came clear upon the wind, when our guide
stopped short and fell back a few paces as a low angry growl saluted him
from the darkness in front and he said something sharply to us in the
native tongue.

His words evidently meant "Fall back!" but I had recognised that growl.

"Gyp!" I cried; and the growling changed to a whining cry of joy, and
in an instant the dog was leaping up at my face, playfully biting at my
hands, and then darting at Jimmy he began the same welcoming
demonstrations upon the black.

"Mass Joe, Mass Joe, he go eat up black fellow. Top um away, top um
away."

"It's only his play, Jimmy," I said.

"Him eat piece Jimmy, all up leggum," cried the black.

"Here, Gyp!" I cried, as the dog stopped his whining cry of pleasure,
but growled once more. "Here," I said, "this is a friend. Pat his
head, sir, and--, where is he, Jimmy?"

"Black white fellow, Mass Joe?"

"Yes, yes, where is he?"

"Gone 'long uder way. Run back fas fas. Fraid o Gyp, Gyp send um way."

"Stop him! Run after him! He must not go," I cried.

I stopped, for there was a low piping whistle like the cry of a Blue
Mountain parrot back at home.

"Jack Penny!" I gasped, and I answered the call.

"Iss, yes, Mass Jack Penny," cried Jimmy, and Gyp made a bound from my
side into the darkness, leaving us alone.

We heard the crash and rustle of the underwood as the dog tore off, and
I was about to follow, but I could not stir, feeling that if I waited
our guide might return, when, in the midst of my indecision, the whistle
was repeated, and this time Jimmy answered.

Then there was more rustling, the dog came panting back; and as the
rustling continued there came out of the darkness a sound that made my
heart leap.

It was only my name softly uttered, apparently close at hand, and I made
a bound in the direction, but only to fall back half-stunned, for I had
struck myself full against a tree.

I just remember falling and being caught by some one, and then I felt
sick