tter ignorance as to the proper bait to be
used. Half a dozen tolerable-sized fish, mostly eels and barbel, soon
lay lifeless on the turf at their side, and they were still pursuing
their sport with unabated eagerness, when they were startled by a loud
splashing and snorting at no great distance from them. They leaped up,
for a moment apprehending that the Bechuanas were in pursuit of them,
notwithstanding Kobo's assurances that there was no fear of such a
_contretemps_, and hurried to the southern extremity of the islet, where
the noise was audible. Several dark shapeless objects, ten or twelve
feet long, were to be seen floating apparently on the water; but whether
they were fragments of wood, or the carcasses of drowned oxen, or living
animals, it was impossible at first to determine. Presently, however,
one of the floating masses disappeared beneath the waters, and anon rose
again, with a loud grunting noise which could not be mistaken.

"They are the hippopotamuses Kobo told us of," said Nick. "It is very
odd, but I had forgotten all about them."

"Hush!" answered Frank, "they are coming this way, I think; and if so,
we shall get a clear view of them. I want to see one above all things.
I've seen a picture of one, but that gives no real idea."

"Yes, they are coming this way, certainly," remarked Gilbert, a few
minutes afterwards; "but how slowly and leisurely they move. I should
think we might get a shot at one presently, if we keep quite quiet.
Luckily, it is plain that they have not seen us, or they wouldn't come
this way."

As he spoke, Frank laid his hand on his arm, and pointed silently
towards a projecting point of the river bank, about two hundred yards
off. The head of a canoe, formed out of the trunk of a tree apparently,
and holding two persons, had just come in sight. It was followed
closely by another of the same description, a good deal larger, and at
some distance by several reed rafts, nearly as big as that which had
conveyed them to the island on the previous day. The boys drew
instantly back into the leafy covert, again fancying that the Bechuanas
were on their track. A very short examination of the new-comers,
however, satisfied them that this was not the case. Not only was their
dress different in several particulars from that of the Kaffirs, but the
weapons with which they were armed showed plainly that they had not come
out for the purpose of apprehending runaways, but of huntin