he principal line of retreat, I think," replied the Rhodesian.
"They can't go very much farther, for it will be pitch black in twenty
minutes."'

"Just so," agreed the major. "Set the men to work, Mr. Wilmshurst.
Mr. Laxdale, you will please send a runner to the colonel and tell him
that we've proposed bivouacking here till dawn."

Until it was quite dark the Haussas toiled, building sangars and
constructing light connecting trenches with abattis of sharp thorns
sufficient to deter and hold up a rush of bare-footed Askaris, since
there was no knowing that after all the enemy had been informed of the
presence of the pursuing column.

In silence the men ate their rations, no fires being allowed, and
sentries to outlying piquets having been posted, the troops slept
beside their piled arms.

"What do you think of our chance of overtaking the bounders?" enquired
Wilmshurst of MacGregor, as the former prepared to visit the sentries.

"We ought to surprise them just after dawn," replied the Rhodesian.
"I'm just off to see the major and get his permission to try and
discover their position."

"But it's pitch dark," remarked Dudley. "You couldn't see your hand in
front of your face. Man, you'd be bushed for a dead cert."

"I don't know so much about that," replied MacGregor confidently. "The
fellows up at Umfuli often used to chaff me, saying that I had eyes
like a cat. Believe I have. At any rate I'll risk it, and if I'm not
back an hour before dawn my name's not MacGregor."

"Let me know if the major agrees," said Wilmshurst. "I don't want my
sentries to take pot shots at you when you return--and they are all
jolly good marksmen," he added in a tone of pride, for he had good
reason to pin his faith upon the Haussas' accuracy with a rifle.

It was not long before MacGregor returned.

"Fixed it up all right," he announced, "and now I'm off. If, just
before dawn, you hear the cry of a gnu you'll know it's this johnny
returning, so please keep the sentries well in hand."

The subaltern accompanied the Rhodesian past the alert sentries; then,
with Wilmshurst's good wishes for the best of luck, MacGregor vanished
into the night. In vain the young officer strained his ears to catch
the faint noise of the Rhodesian's footsteps or the crackle of a dry
twig under the pressure of his boot, but not a sound did the scout give
of his progress.

"Hanged if I'd like to take on his job," soliloquised Dudley, as he
slowl