“And let us leave somebody here to watch them,” said Oko, apprehensive lest some of their property should be lost. Like the ships of the Greeks on the coast of Troy these rafts were, accordingly, made fast, so that they should be ready for the return voyage of the warriors at the close of the war. CHAPTER XXV. [Illustration] The Ammi now continued their forward march with but little interruption. “I fear this expedition will end in disaster,” said Gimbo; “our falling into the water is a bad sign.” “I think so to,” added Pounder, recalling his duckings; “but before it ends I shall have a fight with the Apes, and smash some of their jaws.” “What looks to me worst,” said another, “is, that when I was sharpening my flint this morning, the Fire-monster suddenly appeared to me, starting up out of the flint and immediately disappearing again.” “I saw the same thing,” added another, “when Pounder struck me in the eye. Fire flew in all directions and then disappeared.” One of the scouts now returned breathless announcing that they could see the Lali in the distance. “Let me reconnoiter,” said Koree, who advanced rapidly to the farther edge of the swamp, from which, indeed, the Apes could be distinctly seen. These were running up and down the trees, apparently gathering fruit, and chasing one another over the plains without any apparent purpose except sport. But men never knew the deep designs of Monkeys. “Where is Sosee, I wonder?” asked Koree, who was too much interested in the object of his love to attend closely to the requirements of war. He did not observe that at that moment a great ape was stealthily approaching him from one side. For the Apes had out their pickets as well as the men, owing to apprehensions of an attack; while others were scattered through the Swamp hunting food. After a little waiting and looking he thought he descried Sosee in the distance walking with a handsome ape who was exceedingly attentive to her. Jealousy now succeeded to prudence, and his rage would have at once carried him alone into the ranks of the enemy to capture her (and be captured instead), but, another incident prevented him from accomplishing this disaster. “I will have her at once,” he said, “and scatter the brains of that monkey attendant over any one who opposes me.” At this instant the ape who was watching him ran up and dealt him a powerful blow, knocking his resolution, his jealousy and his love out of him for a while. Koree, recovering his senses, now transferred his rage to this new quarter, and, following it up with blows, soon brought to the ground his assailant. This was witnessed by other scouts of the Lali who ran to the rescue of their companion, and also by some scouts of the Ammi who closed on the combatants, so that an immediate fight was threatened between the pickets of the two forces. [Illustration: THE BATTLE BEGINS.]