The first man who moves a finger, Mr.Oakes, will die that instant! Let your rifle lie where it is!" It would be no use pretending the man had not courage, at all events of the sort that glories in the upper hand of a fight.

He chuckled, and reveled in our predicament, taking in, now that his eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness of our hollow, the utter lack of comforts or provisions, and enjoying our disappointment.

He certainly knew himself master of the situation.
"I suspect you have a man of mine down there with you!" he announced presently.

"Is not that my Baganda?
Is he gagged?
Is he bound?
Loose him, Mr.Oakes, at once! I say at once! Otherwise you die now!" He pointed his rifle directly at Fred, and the next second fired it, but not intentionally.

Coutlass sprang from behind him, having crawled out through a shadow, and hit him so hard with a stone on the back of the skull that he loosed off the rifle and pitched head-foremost down among us.