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"What will you do?" asked Mr. Hume. Muata turned round and pointed to the otter on his chest. "You don't mean to say," said Venning, indignantly, "that you are going to let him swim ashore? Why, the bank is miles away, and the crocodiles are in between." Muata's glance fell on the jackal, and he spoke to it. The animal whined, then crouched. "A favour, my father," he said.

Too well he knew that they had risked everything by their secret departure; but he could not see that any other course was open to them, as if they had remained it would have been difficult for them to prove that they were not concerned in Muata's escape. He knew, too, that if he had abandoned the chief, as the price of security, the boys would have lost all faith in him.

They sat up under the awning and talked of the great drive, of Muata's escape, and of his wonderful luck in finding them though he made out that there was nothing strange about it, since from the woods he had seen the preparations for the hunt, and had, too, made out the Okapi in the dusk.

Hume had an opportunity of speaking without the fear of being overheard, for they finished putting the Okapi together, and worked her out by the levers into the river, where she gleamed in the sun. "I dare say you think I am a brute," he said, "and I don't blame you; but if we mean to save Muata's life, we must appear to be altogether indifferent to his fate.

If they learnt we were hereabouts, they would be on their guard, and, having the 'legs' of us by reason of their canoes, and the advantage by reason of their numbers, they would push on, and arrive at the hiding-place before us. If they do not suspect our presence, they will take matters easy, and give us time." "But what of Muata's mother?" "That is the chief's matter," said Muata.

Muata's shrill whistle pierced through the files of trees, and the jackal slunk away. "Hurrah!" yelled Compton, taking off his cap. "Hurrah! Here we are all safe!" "All safe, thank God;" and Mr. Hume hurried forward, with his eyes beaming. "Thank God." "It is as I thought. Here is the hind leg of a monkey, with some of the hair still attached;" and Venning held up a disgusting-looking object. Mr.

They had cause now for uneasiness, and the boys for the first time began to entertain suspicions about Muata's faithfulness, for the loss of the Okapi in the very thick of the forest meant to them what marooning is to the sailor man. They sat discussing the matter long into the night, and when morning came they looked out on the valley with other feelings than before.

"Let one chief fire into the tree and the other at the white spot." "I see the white spot," said Compton; and again he emptied his magazine, while Venning riddled the tree-top, out of which at the discharge men dropped in haste. "Cease firing," came the command from below. "Now, my children, forward once more. They run." "They run!" shouted Muata's men, as they swept out from the defile after Mr.

"If we knew what we were expected to look at," said Compton, "we'd know where we were; but oh " He broke off, and stared at a little figure that barely reached up to Muata's waist. "A pigmy, by Jenkins!" "By Jove! yes." Mr.

They shouted to each other, then broke streaming across the river in a frantic search for hiding. In vain they fled, for the valley seemed alive with men, Muata's band having scattered purposely; while keen-eyed boys, standing in tree-tops, marked down the fugitives, and shouted directions to the hunters. Even the women, led by the chief's mother, came down to join in the pursuit.