ividing themselves into two parties, one of which drove the cattle
forward and the other diverged to study the attack, we ducked down
under a ridge and ran toward the Greeks. The sooner we could get the
first stage of the fighting off our hands the better.

It proved a long way--far longer than I expected, and the going was
rougher. Moreover, the Greeks' boys were losing no time about rounding
up the cattle. By the time they were ready to make a move we were
still more than a mile away, and out of breath.

"If they go south," panted Brown, throwing himself down by a clump of
grass to gasp for his third or fourth wind, "the Masai'll catch 'em
sure, an' we'll be out o' the running! Lord send they head 'em back
toward British East!"

He was in much the worst physical condition because of the whisky, but
his wits were working well enough. The Greeks on the other hand seemed
undecided and appeared to be arguing. Then Brown's prayer was
answered. The Greeks' boys decided the matter for them by stampeding
the herd northward toward us. They did not come fast. They were lame,
and bone-weary from hard driving, but they knew the way home again and
made a bee line. Within a minute they were spread fan-wise between us
and the Greeks, making a screen we could not shoot through.

"Scatter to right and left!" Brown shouted. "Get round the wings!"

But what was the use? He was in the center, and short-winded. I
climbed on an ant-hill.

"The Greeks are on the run!" I said. "They are headed southward!
They've got their boys together, and have abandoned the cattle!
They're off with their tent and belongings due south!"

"The cowards!" swore Brown, with such disappointment that Will and I
laughed.

"Laugh all you like!" he said. "I've a long job on my hands! I'll
have revenge on 'em if it takes the rest o' my life! I'll follow 'em
to hell-and-gone!"

"Meanwhile," I said, still standing on the ant-hill, "the Masai are
following the cattle! They're smoking this way in two single columns
of about twenty spears in each. The remainder are driving their own
cattle about due eastward so as to be out of the way of trouble."

"All right," said Brown, growing suddenly cheerful again. "Then it'll
be a rear-guard action. Let the cattle through, and open fire behind
'em! Send that Kazimoto o' yours to warn our boys to round 'em up and
drive 'em slow and steady northward!"

Kazimoto ran back and gave the necessary order