t to Oko Sam your comrades were sold as slaves?" cried
Canaris. "Why did you not mention his name before? I could have told you
this long ago."

"I never thought of it," rejoined Guy. "I gave them up as lost forever.
Alas! they are probably in the hands of the Abyssinians now."

"Either that or dead," said the Greek, "but undoubtedly the former, for
Menelek, the Abyssinian king, is fond of white captives, and their lives
would be spared if they fell into the hands of the raiding party."

"And how shall we find out?" demanded Guy. "I will not embark on this
river until uncertainty about their fate is removed."

"When darkness comes we will leave the cavern," replied Canaris. "It is
possible we shall learn something. Until then have patience."

The hours of tedious waiting were a little relieved by a discovery that
Melton made.

In some of the canoes he found a couple of rude bone fishhooks. This
seemed pretty fair proof that fish existed in the underground river, and
as Guy happened to have a roll of cord, three strong lines were
constructed and laid away for possible future use.

When, to the best of their judgments, evening was close at hand, they
started back through the passage and reached the entrance shortly before
ten o'clock.

Darkness soon came on, and as all seemed quiet they ventured to roll
back the stone and crawl out. Far across the valley a faint glow was
visible against the somber sky, probably from the smoldering embers of
the burned village, while directly north of the cavern, in the vicinity
of the pool of water where the lions had been encountered the previous
night, a number of camp fires were twinkling merrily through the
scattered boulders.

"This is the camp of the Abyssinians," declared Canaris without
hesitation. "One of us must spy into it and see if your friends are
prisoners; another must go to the village for provisions, and a third
man should remain here at the mouth of the cavern."

This proposed division of the forces did not please Guy and Melton.

"Why must a man remain at the cavern?" demanded Chutney.

"To mark the place in case one of us is pursued and loses his bearings
in the darkness," was the Greek's calm reply.

Guy saw the advisability of this and made no further objection. After
brief discussion it was decided that he should remain on guard, while
Canaris visited the village and Forbes reconnoitered the Abyssinian
camp. Without any delay they started off on thei