“‘How can we overcome Wambe, Macumazahn the hunter?’
“‘How does the jackal overreach the lion, Nala?’
“‘By cleverness, Macumazahn.’
“‘So shall you overcome Wambe, Nala.’
“At this moment an interruption occurred. A man entered and said that messengers had arrived from Wambe.
“‘What is their message?’ asked Nala.
“‘They come to ask that thy daughter Maiwa be sent back, and with her the white hunter.’
“‘How shall I make answer to this, Macumazahn?’ said Nala, when the man had withdrawn.
“‘Thus shalt thou answer,’ I said after reflection; ‘say that the woman shall be sent and I with her, and then bid the messengers be gone. Stay, I will hide myself here in the hut that the men may not see me,’ and I did.
“Shortly afterwards, through a crack in the hut, I saw the messengers arrive, and they were great truculent-looking fellows. There were four of them, and evidently they had travelled night and day. They entered with a swagger and squatted down before Nala.