"Him hurt massa," he protested. "Him fit for kill all same." "No; that's not our way," said Royce firmly. "We've got him, and we'll keep him safe. I hope this is the end of our troubles." The Hausas, grumbling sullenly, carried Goruba into the passage next to Royce's room, and laid him against the wall. It was then found that his right wrist was sprained. "He must have struck it against the wall when he missed me and smashed his knife," thought Royce. "That accounts for his feebler grip." To the further disgust of his men, he bound a wet rag tightly round Goruba's wrist. "Now for a good night's rest for once," he thought. "We shall not be attacked to-night, at any rate." CHAPTER XXIV A FIGHT WITH CROCODILES In the afternoon after the fight with the Tubus, Challis was reclining on a moss-covered rock near the cave--he could not endure the atmosphere of that close-packed habitation. He was thinking things over, wondering whether, after his first victory, he dared lead his men towards the fort to encounter the main body of the enemy under their redoubtable leader Goruba. Suddenly he was aware of some excitement among the crowd of natives just beyond the mouth of the cave. Could the Tubus be returning to the attack? He sprang up, intending to reassure himself on this point. But at this moment John came running towards him, his broad face contorted by a grin. "What is it, John?" Challis asked. To his surprise John burst into loud laughter, slapping his thighs, bending his body, now and then pointing towards the swamp and doubling with laughter again. "Come, come, what is the joke?" asked Challis. "Oh, my! Oh, dear! Oh my lawks!" spluttered the Hausa. "Ober dar, sah, ober dar." "Well? Stop laughing, and tell me about it." John controlled himself with difficulty. "Ober dar, sah, two bad fellas!" A guffaw. "Tubus, sah. Up a tree, sah." "There's nothing very funny about that." "No funny? Oh my lawks! Up a tree, sah--no come down. Boys frow spears, sah. Berry funny, all same." "This won't do," thought Challis. "I suppose the Tubus got away, and the men are trying to spear them instead of taking them prisoners. But it's strange. There was plenty of time for them to escape altogether when I called the men off. Why didn't they run away?" he asked. "No can do, sah," replied John, laughing again. "Crocodiles wait for dinner." "Goodness!" Challis ejaculated. "Are there crocodiles in the swamp?" "Oh yes, sah! fousand hundred," answered John. "Sah come and see. Him laugh all same." He preceded Challis towards the swamp, to which the whole population of the cave were now flocking like children running to see a Punch and Judy show. Challis hurried on. Arriving at the edge of the swamp he saw, about two hundred yards away, two Tubus crouched in the branches of a low bushy tree, not five feet above the surface.