At last all was in readiness; and the occupants of the village, together with their animals--all heavily laden, even the women carrying heavy burdens--started on their way.

It was five days' journey, and they halted at last at a small village--which was evidently private property--down in the plains at the foot of the mountains and, as Lisle judged, at no very great distance from the frontier line.
Lisle now mixed a good deal with the natives, and thus he began to pick up a good many words of their language.

Now that they were down on the plains, two men with rifles were always on guard over him, but he was allowed to move freely about, as he liked.
A fortnight after they were established in their new quarters another party of natives arrived, and there was a long and angry talk.

As far as Lisle could understand, these were the permanent occupants of that portion of the plain, and had been accustomed to receive a small tribute from the hill people who came down to them.
It seemed that, on the present occasion, they demanded a largely increased sum in cattle and sheep; on the ground that so many of the hill tribesmen had come down that their land was eaten up by them.

The amount now demanded was larger than the hill people could pay.