with any means of dealing
effectually with it; indeed, for the most part, they attributed it
entirely to the agency of malignant Spirits; and its appearance
generally threw them entirely into the hands of the pretended prophets.
In the present instance they had felt tolerably secure that it would not
visit the Bechuana village, the summer having been exceptionally
healthy. But that morning, two oxen had suddenly been seized with the
symptoms which were only too well-known. The owner, who had unbounded
faith in the missionary's powers, had sent at once to him entreating his
help; and he and Warley were just setting out to render what assistance
it might be possible to give.

"Poor beggars!" exclaimed Nick. "It will be a bad job for them if they
do lose their cattle, seeing that is pretty well all they have. Shall
you be able to do anything for them, sir?"

"I am afraid very little," said the elder man. "I have fallen in with
the disease more than once during my residence in this country, and have
hardly ever known a case of cure, when it has once fairly taken hold of
an animal But we will do our best. Good night, lads I hope you may have
a pleasant day's sport. If it hadn't been for this, I should have liked
Ernest to have gone with you. As it is, I shall want his help."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

BAVIAN'S POOL--PLACE AUX ROI--GIANT BATHERS--AN ELEPHANT HUNT--THE
"NICK" OF TIME--NICK'S OVATION--DE WALDEN ARRESTED.

It took Kobo and the two lads a good hour to reach Bavian's Pool. It
lay in a different direction from any which they had yet pursued,
through dense bush, in which they would soon have lost themselves, if it
had not been for Kobo's attendance. Occasionally they came on the spoor
of the elephants, a large herd of which had evidently passed that way
not many hours previously. The gigantic footprints were traced sharp
and clear in the sandy soil; the young trees, that had been broken off
or trodden down by their bulky frames, exhibited fresh white fractures;
those which had only been bent by the weight of the animals in passing,
seemed hardly yet to have regained their former positions. Kobo, who
spoke under his breath in awe, as it seemed, of these forest kings, told
them that the herd, in all likelihood, were reposing at the distance of
not more than a quarter of a mile from the path they were now
traversing. This intelligence appearing to excite the lads a good deal.
He added, that they must not