but myself I guessed that thou wouldst be nigher to the mountain, and
came this way, and found thee. To-morrow at the daybreak the slayers
will be here.'

"'Very possibly,' I thought to myself; 'but they won't find Macumazahn.
I have half a mind to put some strychnine into the carcases of those
elephants for their especial benefit though.' I knew that they would
stop to eat the elephants, as indeed they did, to our great gain, but
I abandoned the idea of poisoning them, because I was rather short of
strychnine."

"Or because you did not like to play the trick, Quatermain?" I suggested
with a laugh.

"I said because I had not enough strychnine. It would take a great deal
of strychnine to poison three elephants effectually," answered the old
gentleman testily.

I said nothing further, but I smiled, knowing that old Allan could never
have resorted to such an artifice, however severe his strait. But that
was his way; he always made himself out to be a most unmerciful person.


"Well," he went on, "at that moment Gobo came up and announced that we
were ready to march. 'I am glad that you are ready,' I said, 'because
if you don't march, and march quick, you will never march again, that is
all. Wambe has an impi out to kill us, and it will be here presently.'

"Gobo turned positively green, and his knees knocked together. 'Ah, what
did I say?' he exclaimed. 'Fate walks about loose in Wambe's country.'