John had by this time so much respect for the Wanderobbo's acuteness of hearing that he felt it unwise to neglect this statement. Bidding the men to sort out all the provisions the fort contained, with the idea of carrying a portion with him when he left, and burning the rest, he left the place with Bill, after giving strict orders that the bridge should be taken up behind him, and not replaced over the gap until his return, unless he should send back a message by Bill. The two crossed the pool and set off at a rapid pace towards the bluff. They were half-way to the summit when Bill declared that he again heard shots. They quickened their pace, and on reaching the top, where a wide expanse of the plain was outstretched before them, they looked carefully all round the southern horizon, keeping under cover. They could see the river winding along between its verdurous banks, and when they lost sight of the shining water they could still trace its course by the fresher green of the vegetation. The plain was covered for the most part with grass, with patches of scrub and clumps of woodland here and there. In the far distance they descried a herd of antelope feeding, but for some time saw no other living creature, beast or man.
All at once both started. In the still air, above the sound of the swirling water beneath them, they heard distinctly six shots. One of them, Bill declared, was that of the msungu's rifle, though John was utterly unable to understand how he could distinguish it from the others. Some seconds afterwards Bill lifted his hand and pointed in a south-easterly direction, saying that he saw smoke among the trees. John looked eagerly in the same direction, but could see nothing. Unluckily he had left his field-glass with Ferrier. Presently he heard more shots, in rapid succession. Clearly there was fighting going on; the natural inference was that Ferrier's party was engaged, and since only he, Coja, and Said Mohammed could use rifles, the number of the shots showed that his opponents must possess firearms. It was equally clear that Ferrier, if it was indeed he, had left the spot where it had been arranged that he should await John's return, and he must be either pursuing or pursued. The conclusion was irresistible that for some unforeseen reason he had found himself compelled to advance towards John.
Anxious on his friend's behalf, John decided instantly that he must set out at once to join hands with him. He sent Bill back to call the men from the fort, telling him that they must bring the ammunition and rifles for those who could use them. He himself would start towards the firing, pointing out to Bill the general direction in which he would go. He knew that the men, being rapid marchers when not carrying loads, would not be long in overtaking him. The fort must be left unguarded, but there was no help for it; the matter of immediate urgency was to reinforce Ferrier.
While Bill sped back to the fort, John scrambled down the bluff and hurried over the plain. As he proceeded the sounds of firing became ever clearer, and when he had covered about two miles at a swinging pace he could also hear shouts.
He had come almost to a thin belt of forest when he saw figures approaching among the trees. Dropping down behind a bush, he eagerly watched them. At the edge of the forest they came clearly into view, and he saw that they were black men, marching in single file, rapidly, in spite of heavy loads. From behind them came at short intervals the still louder crack of rifles, and the more voluminous shouts of men. In a few moments he recognized them as men of his safari, and rose to meet them. His figure suddenly appearing above the bush startled them, and they instantly dropped their loads with yells, and began to run away. But a shout from him dispelled their fright; they turned, and hastened towards him, leaving their loads, however, where they had thrown them.
When they met him they told him in accents of terror that the msungu was fighting with a great host of bad men. Two or three showed wounds they had received. John ordered them to return to their loads and take them up, and then to look out for the party following him. He hurried forward into the wood, and half-a-mile further on came upon Ferrier with the rest of the safari, slowly retiring before a horde of savages. He had supposed that the "great host" of which the porters had spoken was an exaggeration born of their panic, but he saw that Ferrier and his men were, in fact, holding at bay a crowd of natives, among whom he perceived the white garments of Swahilis. Ferrier had Coja on his right and Said Mohammed on his left, each at a few yards' interval, the remainder of the party, armed only with bows and arrows, being spread out on each side over a considerable space to avoid the risk of being outflanked. They were retiring slowly, taking cover behind trees, picking off any of the enemy who showed themselves. Ferrier himself was a dead shot now that he had recovered the full use of his arm. Several men had fallen to his unerring aim. What execution Coja and Said Mohammed did John never knew; but their shots had been effective in daunting the enemy, who had not dared to come too near, or to make a rush. With a little more courage and generalship the savages, vastly outnumbering the safari, could have swept round them and had them at their mercy; but the young Canadian had hitherto managed to hold off the bolder spirits who pressed him in front, and the others followed on without as yet attempting a flanking movement.
"Good man!" cried John, as he hastened to Ferrier's side. "My lot are coming up. We had better get out of this wood, or they'll be all round us."
They retired more quickly. It was time, for when they reached the plain, they saw that parties of the enemy, who had at last realized that they were losing opportunities, had crept round to right and left. John instantly sent a shot among the nearer crowd, causing them to scatter. Then, perceiving that another party had slipped by and was hastening in pursuit of the porters, he called some of the bowmen, who were mightily encouraged by his arrival, and set off in chase. Another shot sent this party flying. John saw that the river would form an excellent defence to the left flank of his little force, and running back to Ferrier, he asked him to edge nearer to it.
"If we can only manage to keep them off until our men have had time to climb the bluff, we can make a bolt for it," he said. "Up there among the boulders we can hold our own against any number."
They retired slowly towards the belt of trees fringing the river. By the time they reached it Bill came up with the party from the fort. This reinforcement, together with the more advantageous position of the retiring force, served to check the pursuit. The enemy were not courageous enough to dash past them within range, though their numbers were so great that they could easily have afforded the loss of a few men. The only means they had of slipping past safely and overtaking the safari was either to make a wide detour across the plain, which would have given John's party time to reach the bluff before them, or to cross the river and make their way through the trees on the other bank; but the current here was swift enough to make fording dangerous. So they adopted neither course, but followed sullenly in the track of the party, firing at times, but never diminishing the distance between them.