“Maybe he is, and intends to deliver us to his countrymen, to serve as a feast given to celebrate his safe return to the bosom of his family,” said Tom, in a tone half in joke half in earnest.
“He has hitherto shown only good feelings, and we will trust him, at all events,” said Charley.
He made signs to Aboh that we wished to move on, and being anxious to find water, we begged that he would lead us to it as soon as possible. He nodded, and pointed to the east. We were too thirsty to hesitate about going in that direction, although we should thus be led farther than we wished from the coast.
We accordingly once more set off, Aboh hurrying us along as fast as we could make our way through the thick forest, stopping at first every now and then to listen as the sound of distant firing was heard, and then apparently to ascertain whether any of the blacks were coming towards us. Aboh’s object was evidently to avoid both parties. It was most likely that the slaves whom he had deserted would murder him for having left them, while the people of the other tribe were probably hereditary enemies of his, and would without ceremony have put him to death. We were by this time very hungry as well as thirsty, but our thirst prevented us from eating, and we urged Aboh to endeavour to find water without delay. He merely pointed eastward, and nodded his head as before.
“Well, keep moving, my black angel; whatever you do, keep moving, and lead us to the water,” said Tubbs, patting him on the back.
We marched chiefly under the shade of the forest trees, where we found it tolerably cool; at the same time, as Tom observed—“In the opening the sun was hot enough to roast an ox.”
At last I felt that I could go on no longer. I threw myself down at the roots of a large tree. Harry, who was marching with me, while the rest were ahead, endeavoured to rouse me up.
“No, no,” I said; “go on. If you find water, bring me some, though I doubt if I shall be alive by that time;” and I spoke as I felt.
“Nonsense!” cried Harry. “You are the last person of the party I should have expected to give in. I’ll stay by you until you are rested, and then we will hurry on after our friends.”
“Perhaps we shall lose them if we are separated,” I answered.