nd hit 'em where
it hurts most. Give 'em an hour and we'll march."

We filled in the time by opening one of our food tins and making sure
of our breakfast. Lord Roxton had had nothing but some fruit since the
morning before and ate like a starving man. Then, at last, our pockets
bulging with cartridges and a rifle in each hand, we started off upon
our mission of rescue. Before leaving it we carefully marked our
little hiding-place among the brush-wood and its bearing to Fort
Challenger, that we might find it again if we needed it. We slunk
through the bushes in silence until we came to the very edge of the
cliff, close to the old camp. There we halted, and Lord John gave me
some idea of his plans.

"So long as we are among the thick trees these swine are our masters,"
said he. "They can see us and we cannot see them. But in the open it
is different. There we can move faster than they. So we must stick to
the open all we can. The edge of the plateau has fewer large trees
than further inland. So that's our line of advance. Go slowly, keep
your eyes open and your rifle ready. Above all, never let them get you
prisoner while there is a cartridge left--that's my last word to you,
young fellah."

When we reached the edge of the cliff I looked over and saw our good
old black Zambo sitting smoking on a rock below us. I would have given
a great deal to have hailed him and told him how we were placed, but it
was too dangerous, lest we should be heard. The woods seemed to be
full of the ape-men; again and again we heard their curious clicking
chatter. At such times we plunged into the nearest clump of bushes and
lay still until the sound had passed away. Our advance, therefore, was
very slow, and two hours at least must have passed before I saw by Lord
John's cautious movements that we must be close to our destination. He
motioned to me to lie still, and he crawled forward himself. In a
minute he was back again, his face quivering with eagerness.

"Come!" said he. "Come quick! I hope to the Lord we are not too late
already!"

I found myself shaking with nervous excitement as I scrambled forward
and lay down beside him, looking out through the bushes at a clearing
which stretched before us.

It was a sight which I shall never forget until my dying day--so weird,
so impossible, that I do not know how I am to make you realize it, or
how in a few years I shall bring myself to believe in it if I live to
sit