"It is half past one," Frank said, holding the lantern, which the pilot had left with them, to his watch. "We shall get four hours' sleep. You had better serve a tot of grog all round, George. It will keep out the damp night air." One of the blacks was carrying a basket, and each of the men had brought a water bottle and pannikin. "Put some water in it, lads," Frank said, "and it would be a good thing to eat a bit of biscuit with it." Dominique had told Frank that the guide had made some remark about the two blacks dropping behind so often, and the latter took out his handkerchief, tore it into eight pieces, and gave it to him. "Wherever you turn off, Dominique, drop one of these pieces on the path. That will be quite sufficient." "Yes, sar; but you see we don't know when we start up path whether it be right path or no. We go up one, if find dat hit not de one dey go, den come back again and try anoder. What we to do?" After thinking for some little time, Frank suggested that Dominique's best way would be to tell the guide that he was footsore, and that as several paths would have to be searched, he and one of the men would sit down there. The other would accompany the boy, and bring down word when the right path had been discovered. As soon as it became light Frank, without rousing the men, went out into the path and moved cautiously up it. He had but just started when he saw Dominique coming towards him. "All right, sar. Boy gone on; he hunt about. When he find he send Sam back to fetch me. De oder stay with him." "Oh, you have sent both with him." "Yes, sar, me thought it better. If only one man go, when he come back, boy could talk to people. Perhaps talk too much, so sent both men." "That was the best plan, no doubt," Frank agreed. "I will join the men, and remain there until you come for me." "Dat best thing, sar. People might come along, better dey not see you." It was twelve o'clock before Dominique joined the waiting group in the wood. "They have been a long time finding the track, Dominique." "Yes, sar, bery long time. Dey try four tracks, all wrong. Den dey try 'nother. Sam say boy tell him try that last, because bad track; lead ober hills, to place where Obi man live. Black fellow no like to go there. Bad men there; steal children away, make sacrifice to fetish. All people here believe that Obi man bery strong. Dey send presents to him to make rain or to kill enemy, but dey no like go near him demselves. Dere was a hut a little up dat road. Party went by dere yesterday. No more houses on road. Sam say boy wait dere till he bring me back to him; den go home. Not like to go further; say can't miss way dat path. Leads straight to Obi man's place. Fetish on road strike people dead dat go dar without leab ob Obi man." "That will suit us well altogether," Frank said. "How far is it to where the guide is?" "One and a half hours' walk." "Then we will be off at once."