Seeing it I rose quietly, for I did not wish to wake Anscombe, dressed and left the hut.

My object was to find Nombe, who I hoped would be still sitting by the fire, and send her to Zikali with a message that I wished to speak with him at once.

Glancing round me in the grey dawn I saw that she was gone and that as yet no one seemed to be stirring.

Hearing a horse snort at a little distance, I made my way towards the sound and in a little bay of the overhanging cliff discovered the cart and near by our beasts tied up with a plentiful supply of forage.

Since so far as I could judge in that uncertain light, nothing seemed to be wrong with them except weariness, for three of them were still lying down, I walked on to the gate of the fence which surrounded Zikali's big hut, proposing to wait there until some one appeared by whom I could send my message.
I reached the gate which I tried and found to be fastened on its inner side.