He stopped, as before, a short distance outside.
Just as it was dusk, the men returned carrying the rope that Meinik had bought, and a store of food.

With these they were sent to the shelter, and Stanley entered the town, where he met Meinik.
"I have sent in the fruit," the latter said.

"I had no difficulty about it.

I told the first soldier who came out, after I had bought it, that I came from the village where the white officer had been captured by the bandits.

He had been very kind to us all and, as we knew that he had been carried off badly wounded, I had come over to get some fruit for him; but I found that they would not let me in at the gate.