"Then stop here!" I answered; at the same time lashing out as
quick as lightning with my right hand upon his jaw.
He rolled over in a heap, his gun flying some yards from his hand; and
the late ringleader lay apparently insensible among the luggage, while
several of his friends ran to him, and did the good Samaritan. Following
up on the moment the advantage I had gained by establishing a panic, I
seized my rifle and rushed into the midst of the wavering men, catching
first one by the throat, and then another, and dragging them to the
camels, which I insisted upon their immediately loading. All except
three, who attended to the ruined ringleader, mechanically obeyed.
Richarn and Sali both shouted to them to "burry;" and the vakeel
arriving at this moment and seeing how matters stood, himself assisted,
and urged the men to obey.
Ibrahim's party had started. The animals were soon loaded, and leaving
the vakeel to take them in charge, we cantered on to overtake Ibrahim,
having crushed the mutiny, and given such an example, that in the event
of future conspiracies my men would find it difficult to obtain a
ringleader. So ended the famous conspiracy that had been reported to me
by both Saat and Richarn before we left Gondokoro;-and so much for the
threat of "firing simultaneously at me and deserting my wife in the
jungle." In those savage countries success frequently depends upon one
particular moment; you may lose or win according to your action at that
critical instant.
