irst a great white
crane, which rose from the shallows and flew off, then a kingfisher with
dazzling coat, and soon after came in sight of a little flock of
rosy-winged flamingoes, with their curious, long, snaky, writhing necks,
and quaintly-shaped bills, which always looked to me as if they were
made to use upside down.

"Well, I nebber see!" cried Pomp at last, after stepping back, and
preserving the most profound silence time after time.

"What's the matter?"

"Why Mass' George no shoot?"

"Because we don't want the birds. You don't care to have to carry them,
do you?"

"No; dis wallet um so dreffle heabby."

We tramped on a little farther, now in the deep shade, now in the golden
sunshine when we could get close to the stream, and then Pomp sighed.

"Mass' George like to carry de walletum now?"

"No; I'm carrying the gun."

"Pomp carry de gun."

"Oh, no," I said, "I'll manage that;" and we went slowly on again.
There was no track, and near the river where the light and sunshine
played there was plenty of thick undergrowth, while a short distance
back in the forest the walking was easy among the trees, where scarcely
anything clothed the ground in the deep shadow.

Pomp kept trudging away toward the dark, shadowy forest, and I had to
stop him again and again, for the boat was not likely to be in there.
On the last occasion he said--

"Walletum dreffle heabby, Mass' George. Don't think better carry um
inside?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mass' George eat half, and Pomp eat half. Den we hab nuffum to carry."

I naturally enough burst out laughing.

"Why, we've only just had a good breakfast, and couldn't eat any more."

"Oh yes, Pomp could, big lots."

"And what are we to have to eat by and by, when we get hungry?"

"Mass' George shoot ducks; Pomp make fire an' roace um."

"No, no, no," I cried. "Here, pass me the wallet, and I'll give you a
rest."

"And Pomp carry de gun," he cried, eagerly.

"No, sir. If you can carry the gun, you can carry the wallet. Here,
give me hold."

Pomp looked disappointed as he handed over the wallet very slowly, and
after slinging it on we once more progressed, looking carefully in all
directions in search of the lost boat, but seeing nothing; and I soon
had to come to the conclusion that the chances were very greatly against
our finding the object of our search.

It was slow work, but for some miles the place was familiar, my father
having brought me as