on the Greeks' account.

But the Greeks did us an unexpected good turn, though it looked like
making more trouble for us at the time. They began to complain of lack
of exercise, and to grow actually sick for want of it. Because of
that, and jealousy, they raised a clamor about our freedom to go
anywhere within township limits as against their strict confinement to
the camp. The commandant came down to the camp in person to hear what
they had to say, and being in a good humor saw fit to yield a point.
Being a military German, though, he could not do it without attaching
ignominious conditions.

There was a band attached to the local company of Sudanese--an affair
consisting of four native war-drums and two fifes. They knew eight
bars of one tune, and were proud of it, the fifers blowing with beef
and pluck and the drummers thundering native fashion, which means that
the only difference between their noise and a thunder-storm was in the
tempo.

Day after day, twice a day, whether it rained or shone, it seemed to be
the law that this "band" should patrol the whole township limits,
playing its only tune, lifting the tops of men's heads with its
infernal drumming, and delighting nobody except the players and the
township urchins, who marched in its wake rejoicing.

The Greeks and the Goanese were given leave to march with the band
twice a day for the sake of exercise. They refused indignantly. The
commandant flew into the rage that is the birthright of all German
officials, but suddenly checked himself; he had a brilliant idea.

He withdrew the permission and changed it to an order that Coutlass and
his two friends should march with the band twice daily for the sake of
their health, on pain of imprisonment should they refuse.

"And I will prove to you," he said, "that the good German rule is
impartial. All aliens awaiting trial and confined within the township
limits shall march with the band if they are able!" As an afterthought
he added magnanimously: "Those in the jail, too, provided they have
not been sentenced for serious crimes!"

So Coutlass, his Greek friend, the Goanese, Fred, Will, and Brown of
Lumbwa marched about the town twice daily, at seven in the morning and
three in the afternoon, a journey of five miles, Fred and Will making
no objection because it gave them a chance to talk with Brown. There
were strict orders against talking, and four askaris armed with rifles
marched behind to enforce