Some thirty or forty halted on the path.

The others continued to cut a track through and, in five minutes, a scattered fire was opened, showing that they had come in contact with the troops.

The fire was kept up for some time, and then died away; whether because the troops had retired, or because the natives had turned off and taken some other line, they could not be sure.

Later they heard very heavy firing abreast of them, and guessed that the Ashantis had followed some other path, and come down on the convoy.
Peering through the bushes, from time to time, they found that those who had halted on the path were still there, probably in waiting for some chief or other who was to take command of them.
"We are in a nice mess, Bullen," said Hallett.

"By the sound the convoy is still moving on, so how we are to rejoin them, I don't know." "Yes, we are certainly in a hole and, if these fellows stop here till night, I see no chance of our being able to move.