. Prudence, as taught by
long months of practical experience on the Coast, urged the young
officer to resist the desire to slake his burning thirst. No water
unless boiled and filtered can be drunk by Europeans without grave
risks of deadly disease. But Wilmshurst now threw caution to the winds.

With avidity he filled the joined palms of his hands with the brackish
and otherwise unpalatable liquid and raised it to his lips. He drank
deeply, unmindful of millions of unseen germs in his almost frantic
efforts to relieve the pangs of his parched throat.

Then completing his stock of hardly-gained water Wilmshurst turned to
retrace his way, aware that during his stay a steady breeze had
suddenly sprung up. Under its influence the dangers of the passage
through the embers were greatly increased, for, fanned by the wind,
numerous mounds of debris had flared up again, while the volume of
smoke had spread in density, blowing straight into his face.

For some moments Dudley stood irresolute; then seized by a sudden
inspiration he ran down wind, plunging through the charred wreckage.
He was going directly away from that part of the kraal still held by
his comrades. His new direction led towards a part of the hostile
investing lines, but he preferred to run the risk of being sniped at
six hundred yards to fighting his way through the now steadily burning
debris.

As he expected, his passage through this part of the devastated village
was relatively easy. Being the first of the huts to take fire this
section had almost burnt itself out. Occasionally he had to dodge
round a heap of still burning timber. The heat was almost unbearable,
while the smoke penetrating his lungs made him gasp and cough
violently; so much so, that twice he had to place his precious
water-jars on the ground and clutch at his throat in his distress.

At length a line of blackened, calcined posts told him that he had
emerged from the kraal, and that he was on the line formerly occupied
by the stockade. For another fifty or sixty yards he held on, until
the smoke cleared considerably; then changing direction, he began to
circumvent the abandoned line of defence until he came to the still
held position.

It was not long before several bullets, whizzing perilously close,
warned him that the enemy had spotted him through the eddying wreaths
of vapour. Others, striking the earth with a dull thud, ricochetted
within a few inches of his feet.

Be