ones found that ye were alone, well," and
he smiled significantly, and made a movement as though he were placing a
hat on his head. "But there is a way over the cliff whereof I once spake
to thee, where they drive the cattle out to pasture. Then beyond the
pastures are three days' journey through the marshes, and after that
I know not, but I have heard that seven days' journey from thence is
a mighty river, which floweth to the black water. If ye could come
thither, perchance ye might escape, but how can ye come thither?"

"Billali," I said, "once, thou knowest, I did save thy life. Now pay
back the debt, my father, and save me mine and my friend's, the Lion's.
It shall be a pleasant thing for thee to think of when thine hour comes,
and something to set in the scale against the evil doing of thy days, if
perchance thou hast done any evil. Also, if thou be right, and if _She_
doth but hide herself, surely when she comes again she shall reward
thee."

"My son the Baboon," answered the old man, "think not that I have an
ungrateful heart. Well do I remember how thou didst rescue me when those
dogs stood by to see me drown. Measure for measure will I give thee,
and if thou canst be saved, surely I will save thee. Listen: by dawn
to-morrow be prepared, for litters shall be here to bear ye away across
the mountains, and through the marshes beyond. This will I do, saying
that it is the word of _She_ that it be done, and he who obeyeth not the
word of _She_ food is he for the hyaenas. Then when ye have crossed the
marshes, ye must strike with your own hands, so that perchance, if good
fortune go with you, ye may live to come to that black water whereof ye
told me. And now, see, the Lion wakes, and ye must eat the food I have
made ready for you."

Leo's condition when once he was fairly aroused proved not to be so
bad as might have been expected from his appearance, and we both of us
managed to eat a hearty meal, which indeed we needed sadly enough. After
this we limped down to the spring and bathed, and then came back and
slept again till evening, when we once more ate enough for five. Billali
was away all that day, no doubt making arrangements about litters and
bearers, for we were awakened in the middle of the night by the arrival
of a considerable number of men in the little camp.

At dawn the old man himself appeared, and told us that he had by using
_She's_ dreadful name, though with some difficulty, succeeded in getting