uld have done, had it not been for the length of the
journeys made by the lads on the first two days, and the rains which had
fallen on the third and fourth, which had almost entirely obliterated
all traces of them. If De Walden had not remembered the questions put
to him by Nick, as to the direction in which the Gariep lay, they would
have been more than once completely at fault. But this served as a
clue, when everything else failed, and every now and then they came upon
the white embers of a fire, or heaps of dry grass, which had evidently
served for beds, showing that, however slowly they might be progressing,
it was in the right direction.

It was on the afternoon of the ninth day, when Kobo, who, it should be
mentioned, had formed a warm friendship with Lion since leaving the
Basuto village--it was just in the late afternoon, when Kobo, who had
been a little in advance of the rest of the party, came hurrying back
with the news, that there were both hoof marks and large stains of blood
to be seen in the grass and bushes about a hundred yards ahead, as
though some large animal--a gnu, or an eland, or perhaps a buffalo--had
been severely wounded. If such was the case, most probably they were in
the neighbourhood of the English lads, as there were neither Bechuanas
or Basutos to be found thereabouts. He added, that it was with the
greatest difficulty that he could restrain Lion, who wanted to rush off,
at the top of his speed, in the direction of the footmarks.

"You had better let him go, Kobo," said De Walden, "and follow him up as
closely as you can. He'll find Frank, if he is to be found, I'll answer
for it."

"And we'll all come after you," added Lavie. "Meanwhile, I'll fire my
gun. They'll hear it if they are anywhere hereabouts."

Lion was accordingly let loose, and immediately galloped off, arriving,
as the reader has heard, just in time to rescue Frank and Nick from
their imminent peril.

It was a joyful meeting, when the whole party assembled on the spot
where the carcasses of the two leopards, and an ugly rent in Lion's
side, bore evidence to how narrow had been the escape of the two boys
from death. The tears stood in Captain Wilmore's eyes, as he grasped
his nephew warmly by the hand, noticing, even at that moment, how his
figure had improved in strength and manly bearing, and the thoughtful
expression which had taken the place of mere boyish recklessness, on
Gilbert's face.

"My lads," he