Now, all ready, _March!_" and he gave the
unfortunate Mungana a fearful kick as a hint to proceed.
So utterly crushed was the poor wretch that even this insult did not
stir him to resentment.
"Follow me, white man," he said, "and if you desire to live, be silent.
Throw your cloaks about your heads."
They did so, and holding their revolvers in their right hands, glided
after the Mungana. In the corner of the big room they came to a little
stair. How it opened in that place where no stair had been, they could
not see or even guess, for it was too dark, only now they knew the means
by which the Asika had been able to visit them at night.
The Mungana went first down the stair. Jeekie followed, grasping him by
the arm with one hand, while in the other he kept his own knife ready
to stab him at the first sign of treachery. Alan brought up the rear,
keeping hold of Jeekie's cloak. They passed down twelve steps of stair,
then turned to the right along a tunnel, then to the left, then to the
right again. In the pitch darkness it was an awful journey, since they
knew not whither they were being led, and expected that every moment
would be their last.
Pages:
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343