I found Jack very near where I had left him, sleeping under the shadow of a rock. I shook him, and he got up at once, quite broad awake. “Come,” I said, “come; I have found men, if they are men.” “White men?” he queried, briefly. “God knows,” I said, my voice, I believe, quivering with agitation. Jack said no more for the moment, but he gave me a drink of water which I drank very greedily, and he was proceeding leisurely to light his pipe. The water had steadied me a bit, and I said, “No, never mind the pipe now, Jack; I’ll tell you as we go along.” So we both went back together over my track, and when we got into the covered way I told him all that I have now told you. Then, when we had got nearly as far as the upper opening of the cave, we sat down and held a short and hurried consultation. “Let them be what they will,” Jack whispered, “we must go straight up and speak to them: if we don’t get help soon we shall perish miserably.” “Agreed,” I said; “but let us watch them for a little and wait for a favourable moment.” And so we both crawled on to the opening of which I have already told you, and looked through. Everything was just as before, except that the leader was now engaged with a group of men further away. After a brief survey of the surroundings, Jack pulled out his little telescope and looked steadily at the leader and the group of men he was engaged with, and then he handed the glass to me. I could see them with the glass about as plainly as I had seen the near group with the naked eye. Everything was the same, except that the malignant expression of the men and their leader was much less easily recognisable. I handed back the glass, and we both by one impulse drew back from the opening. We drew further back still into a dark and retired corner, quite out of the rough pathway, and held a brief conference. “It’s a queer start,” Jack said, “but we must go on with it; it is our only chance.” “It’s queerer than you think,” said I; “you haven’t seen the fellows’ faces as I saw them at first.” “No, no, I am taking account of that,” said he. “I saw what you mean, although I might not have taken much notice of it if you had not mentioned it. I am afraid they are a very bad lot, or I should say rather he is a bad lot, for they are mere puppets in his hands.” “Not quite that,” said I. “I don’t suppose they would be much without him, but they are following him with a will.” “That may be,” he replied; “but now tell me, how shall we work it? We have no time to lose, for he knows we are coming.” “I don’t see how he could know it,” said I, “unless he is the devil himself.” Jack gave a short but unpleasant chuckle; then he said, “Well, perhaps he is; he is bad enough to be, or else I am much mistaken. Anyway, he knows we are coming; that is why the malignant look is partly hidden; he is getting ready for us.”