out."

As they walked along the village the women looked curiously at them, while
men watched them closely with scowling looks.

"Do you see that large tree at the edge of the forest, senor?" Pita asked
presently; "it has lost its bark, and the trunk is white."

"I see it, Pita."

"Well, senor, as soon as we start to-night do you make straight for that.
We will join you there. Do not stop if there should be fighting, and have
no fear for us. The great point is for you to get to the edge of the
forest. You are not strong enough to run fast yet; but once in the forest
we shall be all right. The night is dark, for the moon will not rise till
some hours after sunset. Do you think that you will be able to find the
tree?"

"I think so, Pita. I will fix its bearings in my mind, and notice the
direction I have to take on leaving the hut. I wish I had my gun and
pistols."

"You can have my gun when we are once in the forest, senor; but we must
fight at first with our bows. There are a hundred and fifty men here, and
as we wish above all things to hide the way we have gone, a gun must not
be fired unless we are so surrounded that escape is impossible."

"How shall we leave the hut, Pita?"

"By the back. We will cut a hole through that mud wall as soon as it gets
dark; but we must not leave until all save the watchers are asleep, or we
should have them all down upon us instantly, on the alarm being raised.
When we are through them, Hurka and I will run in another direction, and
make a long round before we come back to the tree, so that they will not
know in which direction to seek for us. They will be sure, indeed, that we
shall take to the forest; but it would be useless for them to begin the
search for us until the morning, and they will be in no great haste, for
they will know that you are not strong enough to walk very far, and that
when they once strike on our track they will have no difficulty in
overtaking us."

"I feel strong enough to walk a good distance," Stephen said.

"You may feel so, senor; but you have not tried. For months your limbs
have done no work, and they will soon feel it. Besides, even had you your
full strength and vigour, the Indians could easily outwalk you, for they
would run in four hours as much as you could do in eight. If we escape, it
must be by craft, and not by speed."

"I am quite sure that you will do all that you can, Pita, but remember
that it is my express wish that you should