For a few moments there was a strange, tense silence.

Then a voice--an English voice--cried: "Come on!" The next moment Guy Oscard stood on the edge of the Plateau.

He held up both arms as a signal to those within the stockade to cease firing, and then he came forward, followed by a number of blacks and Durnovo.
The gate was rapidly disencumbered of its rough supports and thrown open.
Jack Meredith stood in the aperture, holding out his hand.
"It's all right; it's--all right," he said.
Oscard did not seem to take so cheerful a view of matters.

He scrutinised Meredith's face with visible anxiety.
Then suddenly Jack lurched up against his rescuer, grabbing at him vaguely.
In a minute Oscard was supporting him back towards his tent.
"It's all right, you know," explained Jack Meredith very gravely; "I am a bit weak--that is all.

I am hungry--haven't had anything to eat for some time, you know." "Oh, yes," said Oscard shortly; "I know all about it.".