Although the chief made no sound, and the two men were not looking in his direction, both roused themselves and crawled to within a yard of the spot where Logula stood.
"Go!" he commanded. "Find the spoor of the White-Man-who-wears-the-Charm."
Colonel Narfield regarded the men disdainfully. He knew the capabilities of native trackers, but these fellows looked dissipated.
Nevertheless, when the pair started off with their heads well forward and their eyes fixed upon the ground he put spurs to his horse, at the same time giving vent to a strong ejaculation as the action sent a burning, shooting pain through his injured ankle.
His companions followed. Their horses had to be urged into a steady trot to keep pace with the bronzed human sleuth-hounds, who, without looking up to see where they were going, covered the ground at a good seven or eight miles an hour.
"I don't suppose the beggars will be of the slightest use," remarked Colonel Narfield to Van der Wyck. "There's one thing, we are at present following the lads' track. With luck we may find a spoor that we missed on our outward journey."
When at length the native trackers reached the place where the forest closed in upon the road they slowed down considerably. Bending close to the ground they were continually sniffing and lolling their tongues like dogs on the scent. From time to time they stopped, went down on their hands and knees, and smelt the sun-baked, dusty track.
Proceeding thus, they plunged into the gloom of the tunnel-like archway of foliage. In places it was so dark that Narfield had difficulty in distinguishing their bronzed figures from the sombre path.
For nearly half a mile through the avenue the natives continued their way. Not a word was spoken. Only the thud of horses' hoofs and the nasal noises of the two natives broke the tense silence.
Suddenly the trackers stopped, and stood erect, back to back. For nearly half a minute they remained immovable; then, crawling in ever-widening curves, they began to circle round their halting-place until the limit of their orbit brought them into contact with the undergrowth.