gain them we had sprung back into the house. Though the guns were all
loaded, they fortunately did not go off in the struggle. From the easy
way in which they delivered them up it was very evident they were not
acquainted with their use.

"Shall we attempt to fight our way out and reach the river?" exclaimed
Charley; "perhaps we may find a canoe there. Before these fellows have
recovered from their astonishment we may be able to get beyond their
reach."

"No, no!" cried Harry; "we should to a certainty lose our lives, though
we might kill a few of them, and very probably, on reaching the river,
we should find no canoe, when we should have to yield at discretion.
Since we have recovered out weapons, it will be wiser to remain quiet,
and watch for a favourable opportunity. Something or other may turn up,
or when the people are off their guard, we can steal away as we did from
Sanga Tanga's village."

Charley saw the soundness of Harry's advice. We therefore, without
making further demonstration, allowed the door to be closed on us. By
this time the people outside were shouting and howling and rejoicing
over the mighty victory they had gained.

"I am sure we acted for the best," said Harry, when we found ourselves
alone. "Probably the ugly fellow in the round hat will find out soon
that there is no use in keeping us prisoners, and will let us go."

"Can't say I agree with you quite," observed Tom. "I don't trust these
niggers. They may take it into their heads to cut off ours, or offer us
up before one of their abominable fetish gods. The sooner we can get
away the better."

Aboh, who had been shut up with us, looked very much cast down, and he
seemed fully to agree in the fears expressed by Tom. The hut consisted
of a single room about twelve feet square, without windows, the light
being let in through openings between the walls and the eaves. This
served also the purpose of ventilation. There was no furniture, not
even a mat, and the floor was anything but clean. As we were tired, we
were anxious to lie down, but hesitated to stretch ourselves on the
dirty earthen floor. On looking round the room, we, however, discovered
two pieces of board, or rather what are called shingles, being portions
of a log of wood split by a wedge. Using these as spades, we managed,
with considerable trouble, to scrape a space clear of dirt, of
sufficient size to enable us all to sit on the ground. We were going to
plac