After that I must have dropped
off in a doze; for I came to myself with a start, thinking that I
heard him speak to me. It was the rattle in his throat. He lay just
the same, with his eyes staring, but, putting out a hand to him, I
knew at once that the man was dead as a nail.
I had now to think of myself, for I knew that the niggers in the
kraal had not spared me out of kindness, but only that I might attend
to the white man, who was their friend. They were even ignorant
enough to believe that I had killed him. I worked out my plan: (1) I
must run for it; (2) the village was asleep, and the sooner I ran the
better; (3) they had met me heading for Cape Corse Castle, and would
hunt me in that direction--therefore I had best go straight back on
my steps; (4) they were less likely to chase me that way because it
led into the Popo country, and Melhuish had told me that these men
were Alampas, and afraid of the Popo tribes. True, if I headed back,
there was the river between me and Whydah, the nearest station to
eastward; but to get across it I must trust to luck.
I crept out of the hut. The night was black as my hat, almost, and
no guard set. At the edge of the kraal I made a dash for it, and
kept running for three miles.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208