ntinually raging and all fell prey to
it, excepting those who previously died of small-pox. Only that boy
remains to me."

Stas, just before, was struck by the fact that at the time when he slid
into the ravine not a negro stirred or even quivered, and that during
the whole conversation all slept--some with heads propped on the rock,
others with heads drooping upon their breasts.

"They are sleeping and will not awaken any more?" he asked, as though
he had not yet realized the significance of what he had heard.

And Linde said:

"Ah! This Africa is a charnel house."

But further conversation was interrupted by the stamping of the horses,
which, startled at something in the jungle, came jumping with fettered
legs to the edge of the valley, desiring to be nearer to the men and
the light.

"That is nothing--those are horses," the Swiss said. "I captured them
from the Mahdists whom I routed a few weeks ago. There were three
hundred of them; perhaps more. But they had principally spears, and my
men Remingtons, which now are stacked under that wall, absolutely
useless. If you need arms or ammunition take all that you want. Take a
horse also; you will return sooner to your patient--how old is she?"

"Eight," Stas replied.

"Then she is still a child-- Let Nasibu give you tea, rice, coffee, and
wine for her. Take of the supplies whatever you want, and to-morrow
come for more."

"I shall surely return to thank you once more from my whole heart and
help you in whatever I can."

And Linde said:

"It is good even to gaze at a European face. If you had come earlier I
would have been more conscious. Now the fever is taking hold of me, for
I see double. Are there two of you above me? No, I know that you are
alone and that this is only the fever. Ah! this Africa!"

And he closed his eyes.

A quarter of an hour later Stas started to return from this strange
camp of sleep and death, but this time on horseback. The night was
still dark, but now he paid no heed to any dangers which he might
encounter in the high grass. He kept, however, more closely to the
river, assuming that both ravines must lead to it. After all it was
considerably easier to return, as in the stillness of the night came
from a distance the roar of the waterfall; the clouds in the western
sky were scattered and, besides the moon, the zodiacal light shone
strongly. The boy pricked the horse on the flanks with the broad
Arabian stirrups and rode at almos