e up.
How far is it to Abeokuta?"

Ugly Tom learned from the native that it was about forty-five miles.

"Very well," Mr. Goodenough said, "we shall march twenty this afternoon.
Where we halt they will most likely have heard the rumors of the war,
and I expect the carriers will go no farther, so they must send out to
that point."

The Houssa translated the message, and the native, saying, "I shall be
at Abeokuta tonight," kissed the hands of the white men and started at a
trot.

"Wonderful stamina some of these men have," Mr. Goodenough said. "That
man has come forty-five miles at full speed, and is now going off again
as fresh as when he started."

"What speed will he go at?" Frank asked.

"About six miles an hour. Of course he goes faster when he is running,
but he will sometimes break into a walk. Five miles an hour may be
taken as the ordinary pace of a native runner, but in cases which they
consider of importance, like the present, you may calculate on six."

The camp was at once broken up, the carriers loaded, and they started on
their way. It was late in the evening when they reached a village about
twenty miles from their starting place. They found the inhabitants in a
great state of alarm. The news had come that a great army was marching
to attack Abeokuta, and that the King of Dahomey had sworn on his
father's skull that this time the place should be captured, and not a
house or a wall left remaining. As Abeokuta was certain to make a strong
resistance, and to hold out for some time, the villagers feared that the
Dahomey people would be sending out parties to plunder and carry away
captives all over the surrounding country. The panic at once extended
to the bearers, who declared that they would not go a foot farther. As
their fears were natural, and Mr. Goodenough was expecting a fresh relay
from Abeokuta on the following evening, he consented to their demand
to be allowed to leave immediately, and paying them their wages due, he
allowed them to depart at once on the return journey. The tent was
soon pitched and supper prepared, of fried plantains, rice, a tin of
sardines, and tea. Later on they had a cup of chocolate, and turned in
for the night.

In the morning they were awakened just at daybreak by great talking.

"Men come for baggage, sar," Ugly Tom said, putting his head in the tent
door.

"They have lost no time about it, Frank," Mr. Goodenough exclaimed. "It
was midday yesterday when the m