way nearly to conceal them from view. All that could be seen
was a confused mass of prancing heels, whisking tails, and occasionally
a few heads.

"Hurrah!" cried Denis; "my fellow is down." Not far from them, where
the leader had been seen when Denis fired, it now lay struggling on the
ground.

Denis reloaded, and another shot quickly put it out of its misery.
Whether any of the others were hit could not be ascertained, as they all
went scampering off together; but Gozo was seen pursuing them, and the
report of his rifle showed that he, at all events, considered himself
within range of one of them.

Denis at once set to work to skin the animal. Neither Percy nor Lionel
could render him much assistance, and he was very glad when Gozo made
his appearance. The Kaffir had shot a wildebeest, he said, but he had
come to assist them in disposing of theirs. It was agreed that the
parts of the flesh which were worth preserving should be left in the
bush, covered up with branches, so as to prevent the hyenas and jackals
from getting at it until their return.

It took them some time, and their task accomplished, they sat down to
enjoy some of the food they had brought in their holsters. Although
they might without shame have returned to camp, satisfied with their
morning's sport, they had a wish to secure some larger and more valuable
game. Their patient horses stood all the time cropping the leaves and
herbage near them; for grass, properly speaking, there was none.

Their lunch over and their thirst quenched with some water which they
had brought, although there was none for the horses, they again mounted,
and continued in the direction they were before going.

They had applied so frequently to the water bottles, that their stock
was soon exhausted; but supposing that they should speedily arrive at
the river, they did not trouble themselves much about the matter, until
they began to feel the unpleasant sensations of extreme thirst. Percy,
less accustomed to the climate than his companions, suffered greatly.

"When shall we reach the river?" he exclaimed at last. "My throat feels
like a dust bin. I shall choke if I can't pour some liquid down before
long."

"Never fear," answered Denis; "just try not to think about it. I'll ask
Gozo how far the river is off. It cannot be more than half a mile now,
I should think."

The Kaffir, however, did not give a satisfactory answer. It was some
time since he had been