The roar of flames, the shouting, the excitement would have protected us, whatever noise we made, however openly we ran.

Over and above the tumult we could hear Schubert's bull-throated bellowing, and then the echo to him as the sergeants took up the shout all together, ordering "Off with the grass roofs! Off with the roofs!" The white officials were more than interested, and had no time for anything but thought for the blaze.

As we crossed the shoulder of the far side of the hill we could see them standing on the drill-ground all together, clearly defined against the crimson flare.

Schillingschen was with them.
There was no sign of what had happened at the boma.

The gang would have to emerge from a little-used gate at the northern end, provided they could break the lock or secure the key to it; otherwise their only chance was to climb the wall by the cook-house roof and jump twenty feet on the far side.