We expressed gratification, and I presented him with a Marble fish knife.  The very thin blade and the ingenious manner in which the two halves of the handle folded forward over it pleased him immensely.

“No one but myself shall ever use this knife,” said he.

He had no pockets, but he tucked it away in his armpit, clamped the muscles down over it, and apparently forgot it.  At least he gave it no further attention, used his hands as usual, but retained it as securely as in a pocket.

“To-morrow,” he promised at parting, “very early in the morning, I will send my own son and another man to guide you; and I will send a sheep for your meat.”

We arose “very early,” packed our few affairs, picked out four porters—­and sat down to wait.  Our plan was to cruise for five days with as light and mobile an outfit as possible, and then to return for fresh supplies.  Billy would take charge of the main camp during our absence.  As advisers, we left her Abba Ali, Memba Sasa, and Mohammed.

At noon we were still waiting.  The possibility of doing a full day’s journey was gone, but we thought we might at least make a start.  At one o’clock, just as we had about given up hope, the Masai strolled in.  They were beautiful, tall, straight youths, finely formed, with proud features and a most graceful carriage.  In colour they were as though made of copper bronze, with the same glitter of high lights from their fine-textured skins.  Even in this chilly climate they were nearly naked.  One carried a spear, the other a bow and arrow.

Joyously we uprose—­and sat down again.  We had provided an excellent supply of provisions for our guides; but on looking over the lot they discovered nothing—­absolutely nothing—­that met their ideas.

“What do they want?” we asked Leyeye in despair.

“They say they will eat nothing but sheep,” he reported.

We remembered old Naiokotuku’s promise of sending us sheep, sneered cynically at the faith of savages, and grimly set forth to see what we could buy in the surrounding country.  But we wronged the old man.  Less than a mile from camp we met men driving in as presents not one, but two sheep.  So we abandoned our shopping tour and returned to camp.  By the time one of the sheep had been made into mutton it was too late to start.  The Masai showed symptoms of desiring to go back to the village for the night.  This did not please us.  We called them up, and began extravagantly to admire their weapons, begging to examine them.  Once we had them in our hands we craftily discoursed as follows:—­

“These are beautiful weapons, the most beautiful we have ever seen.  Since you are going so spend the night in our camp, and since we greatly fear that some of our men might steal these beautiful weapons, we will ourselves guard them for you carefully from theft until morning.”

So saying, we deposited them inside the tent.  Then we knew we had our Masai safe.  They would never dream of leaving while the most cherished of their possessions were in hostage.