"
So that danger passed by. Some of the slaves had been struck by the
Arab bullets or trodden down in the rush or collapsed from weakness,
and at those of them who still lived the pursuers were firing. One
woman, who had fallen under the weight of the great slave-stick which
was fastened about her throat, was crawling forward on her hands and
knees. An Arab fired at her and the bullet struck the ground under her
stomach but without hurting her, for she wriggled forward more
quickly. I was sure that he would shoot again, and watched. Presently,
for by now the light was good, I saw him, a tall fellow in a white
robe, step from behind the shelter of a banana-tree about a hundred
and fifty yards away, and take a careful aim at the woman. But I too
took aim and--well, I am not bad at this kind of snap-shooting when I
try. That Arab's gun never went off. Only he went up two feet or more
into the air and fell backwards, shot through the head which was the
part of his person that I had covered.
The hunters uttered a low "/Ow!/" of approval, while Stephen, in a
sort of ecstasy, exclaimed:
"Oh! what a heavenly shot!"
"Not bad, but I shouldn't have fired it," I answered, "for they
haven't attacked us yet.
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