carcases of the four unicorns were lying, von Schalckenberg waved his
hand and shouted to the little group on deck--

"Ach! my friends, I am glad to see you. Unicorns' flesh must be an
especially choice morsel with the carnivora in this part of the country,
for I have been literally beset since Mildmay left me. I have had no
fewer than three lions, one leopard, and a whole pack of wild dogs
disputing with me the possession of these carcases."

"And how have you dealt with the disputants, Professor?" laughed
Lethbridge.

"Oh! there was but one way to deal with them, and I took it," answered
the professor. "I shot them, and they are among those rushes. The dogs
were the worst, because there were so many of them, and they were so
persistent. But I drove them off at last."

"You appear to have had a busy time, to judge by the look of things!"
exclaimed Sir Reginald.

And indeed there was abundant evidence of this when the new arrivals
came to look more closely; for the carcases of eight wild dogs--
creatures as big as Siberian wolves, and quite as formidable-looking--
were in plain view, showing how determinedly they had attempted to
"rush" the professor, while others could be seen partially hidden among
the reeds, together with those of the leopard and one of the lions.

"Well, you have richly earned your breakfast, so come aboard and have
it," exclaimed Lethbridge. "Nothing is likely to interfere with your
unicorns, now that this big ship is so close alongside. But to make
quite sure that no accident happens, I will get a rifle and mount guard
up here if you like, while you get your bath and breakfast."

So it was arranged; and half an hour later von Schalckenberg entertained
the other occupants of the breakfast-table with a lively and graphic
account of the adventures of himself and Mildmay during the night, from
the moment of their departure from the ship.

That was a busy day for the five male members of the party, for of
course the professor insisted that the skins of the unicorns must be
removed with the utmost care, and the observance of every precaution
against stretching or otherwise injuring the rather thin and delicate
hides, which made the task of removal a somewhat protracted one. And
when at length this was successfully achieved, there still remained the
carcases of four lions, one leopard, and a python to be dealt with. It
was consequently well on in the afternoon ere the somewhat disagree