“Come then,” said Koree, “this day will decide——”
Here there was a great surprise. As they were about to march to battle, and to their own destruction, Sosee burst in upon them, followed by a strange ape, both nearly breathless from running.
Koree uttered a shout of joy, and ran to meet her. Others seeing her pursued, seized the ape that followed her, and were about to slay him when Sosee caused them to desist.
“He is a friend, and has helped me to come hither,” she said.
And then, without regarding the expressions of joy on the part of Koree and others over her return, she called out loudly:
“Retreat! Hide in the woods!—and be quick!”
This was startling to the Ammi, who believed they were on the eve of complete victory.
She informed them of the countless hosts that had joined the Lali, who expected to move immediately on the Ammi and destroy them entirely.
“If you can retreat long enough to delay the battle,” she said, “you may be saved. I heard the counsels of the Lali chiefs, and they agree that if they do not fight at once their forces can not be held together, but, being composed of different tribes of Apes, unused to discipline, will break up in confusion.”