rid
of until this day, something resembling that wild look with which a
startled person wakes from deep sleep more than anything else that I can
think of. And really it is not to be wondered at. What I do wonder at is
that we escaped at all with our reason.

Presently, to my intense relief, I saw old Billali hurrying towards
us, and even then I could scarcely help smiling at the expression of
consternation on his dignified countenance.

"Oh, my Baboon! my Baboon!" he cried, "my dear son, is it indeed thee
and the Lion? Why, his mane that was ripe as corn is white like
the snow. Whence come ye? and where is the Pig, and where too
_She-who-must-be-obeyed_?"

"Dead, both dead," I answered; "but ask no questions; help us, and give
us food and water, or we too shall die before thine eyes. Seest thou not
that our tongues are black for want of water? How, then, can we talk?"

"Dead!" he gasped. "Impossible. _She_ who never dies--dead, how can it
be?" and then, perceiving, I think, that his face was being watched by
the mutes who had come running up, he checked himself, and motioned to
them to carry us to the camp, which they did.

Fortunately when we arrived some broth was boiling on the fire, and with
this Billali fed us, for we were too weak to feed ourselves, thereby
I firmly believe saving us from death by exhaustion. Then he bade the
mutes wash the blood and grime from us with wet cloths, and after that
we were laid down upon piles of aromatic grass, and instantly fell into
the dead sleep of absolute exhaustion of mind and body.

XXVIII

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

The next thing I recollect is a feeling of the most dreadful stiffness,
and a sort of vague idea passing through my half-awakened brain that I
was a carpet that had just been beaten. I opened my eyes, and the first
thing they fell on was the venerable countenance of our old friend
Billali, who was seated by the side of the improvised bed upon which I
was sleeping, and thoughtfully stroking his long beard. The sight of
him at once brought back to my mind a recollection of all that we had
recently passed through, which was accentuated by the vision of poor
Leo lying opposite to me, his face knocked almost to a jelly, and his
beautiful crowd of curls turned from yellow to white,[*] and I shut my
eyes again and groaned.

[*] Curiously enough, Leo's hair has lately been to some
extent regaining its colour--that is to say, it is now a
yellowish