We watched his retiring column as it wound over the plain and off among the hills, and I am sure we all breathed sighs of satisfaction over the fact that we had secured his departure without bloodshed.
As Macatese and his train disappeared Mrs. Roberts invited us into the tent, and the five of us were quickly seated there.
"What shall we do now?" said Mrs. Roberts; and Miss Boland echoed, "What shall we do?"
"Are there any Kafirs among your people whom you can trust implicitly?"
"Yes, I think there are," replied Mrs. Roberts; "but we had better consult our manager on that point."
The manager was called and made one of the conference. In response to my inquiry he said there were several men in their expedition in whom he had as much faith as he could possibly have in a negro.
"Well, what you want to do," I said, "is to get ready to move out of here immediately. But before you make the least preparation for doing so you must intoxicate those four men whom Macatese left; it must be no ordinary intoxication, either—something that will make them thoroughly and completely insensible. As soon as that is accomplished, get up your oxen, inspan, and start for the south. Macatese's dominions end at the Luranga; get across that river just as quick as you can, and then you'll be safe. Tie those men hand and foot, so that if one happens to sober up he can't get away; and don't let one of them leave you till you're safe on the opposite side of the stream."
Mrs. Roberts suggested that they had in their medicine-chest some tincture of opium, which might assist the intoxicating process.
"The very thing!" said Jack. "I was just going to propose to send you some from our camp, and I'm very glad you have it."
The opium was quickly brought, and also a bottle of brandy. Jack had studied medicine a little, and knew more of the use of drugs than either Harry or myself. He prepared what he averred would be a "knock-out" dose for the four men, and then gave it to the manager, with instructions to tell the Kafirs who were to administer it that they must not touch it themselves.