We may possibly escape with them too quickly for the Masai to think it worth while to follow." Brown laughed cynically.
"We can try it," he said.

"An' if the Greeks don't run pretty quick they'll never run again--I'll warrant that!" Nobody had a better plan to propose, so we emptied our pockets of all but fifty rounds of ammunition each, and gave the rest to Kazimoto to carry, with orders to keep in hiding and watch, and run with cartridges to whoever should first need them.
Then, because instead of corraling their cattle the Masai were already dividing themselves into two parties, one of which drove the cattle forward and the other diverged to study the attack, we ducked down under a ridge and ran toward the Greeks.

The sooner we could get the first stage of the fighting off our hands the better.
It proved a long way--far longer than I expected, and the going was rougher.

Moreover, the Greeks' boys were losing no time about rounding up the cattle.

By the time they were ready to make a move we were still more than a mile away, and out of breath.
"If they go south," panted Brown, throwing himself down by a clump of grass to gasp for his third or fourth wind, "the Masai'll catch 'em sure, an' we'll be out o' the running! Lord send they head 'em back toward British East!" He was in much the worst physical condition because of the whisky, but his wits were working well enough.