y poor fellows,"
he said. "There are now but two things open to you. You can either
volunteer to join the king's army and then try to make your escape as an
opportunity may offer, or slip away at once. You are accustomed to the
woods, and in native costume might pass without notice. You can all
swim, and it matters not where you strike the Prah. If you travel at
night and lie in the woods by day you should be able to get through. At
any rate you know that if you try to escape and are caught you will be
killed. If you stop here it is possible that no harm may happen to you,
but on the other hand you may at any moment be led out to sacrifice. Do
not tell me your decision; I shall be questioned, and would rather be
able to say that I was ignorant that you intended to escape. There is
one other thing to settle. There is a long arrear of pay due to you for
your good and faithful service. It would be useless for me to pay you
now, as the money might be found on you and taken away, and if you
should be killed it would be lost to your friends. I have written here
four orders on my banker in England, which the agents down at Cape Coast
will readily cash for you. Each order is for twice the sum due to you.
As you have come into such great danger in my service, and have behaved
so faithfully, it is right that you should be well rewarded. Give me the
names of your wives or relatives whom you wish to have the money. Should
any of you fall and escape, I will, on my arrival at Cape Coast, send
money, double the amount I have written here, to them."

The men expressed themselves warmly grateful for Mr. Goodenough's
kindness, gave him the names and addresses of their wives, and then,
with tears in their eyes, took their leave.

"Now, Ostik, what do you say?" Mr. Goodenough asked, turning to him.

"I stay here, sar," Ostik said. "Houssas fighting men, creep through
wood, crawl on stomach. Dey get through sure enough. Ostik stay with
massa. If dey kill massa dey kill Ostik. Ostik take chance."

"Very well, Ostik, if we get through safe together you shall not have
reason to regret your fidelity. Now, Frank, I think it would be a good
thing if you were to spend some hours every day in trying to pick up as
much of the language here as you can. You are quick at it, and were able
to make yourself understood by our bearers far better than I could do.
You already know a great many words in four or five of these dialects.
They are all related