another draught of water. "There, now I think you can
eat some more egg," he observed. "I propose that we cook the last one.
We are sure to fall in with game. If we take plenty of food now, we
shall the better be able to go in chase of it."

At last Percy sat up and managed to eat the remainder of the first egg
cooked, and some of the other; then he took another draught of water.
He felt that he could drink any quantity of that. It was now too late
to continue their journey; indeed, Denis had only time to collect a
further supply of sticks before darkness came on. They made up the fire
in a semi-circle, and lay down as close to it as they could venture to
do without risk of burning themselves, hoping thus to be secure from the
attacks of wild beasts, while Raff took a post near them, to act as
sentinel.

Poor Percy was soon fast asleep. Denis did his utmost to keep watch;
but he also, having made up the fire, soon dropped off. He had been
asleep some time when he was aroused by hearing Raff growl and bark. He
started up and looked about him, but could see nothing. Indeed, the
fire had burned so low, that its embers cast but a faint light to a
short distance. Fortunately, he had reserved some sticks, which he
immediately threw on the fire. As they burned up, he took another look
round, when he saw the dim outline of some animal passing by. Whether a
lion, leopard, or hyena, he could not make out. Percy was sleeping so
soundly, that he did not like to awaken him; but he determined not to go
to sleep himself again if he could help it.

Raff had ceased growling, so he concluded that the animal, frightened by
the flames, had gone off. He hoped that it would not return. Had he
not been aroused at the moment by his faithful dog, he and his companion
might have lost their lives, and he felt grateful for their
preservation. He husbanded the remaining sticks with care, for he was
afraid that they might not hold out until the morning, and he employed
himself by stirring up the embers when they grew dim, and raking them
together. At length the sticks were exhausted. He dared not move from
the camp to collect more; indeed, he would have had to go to some
distance, as he had already picked up all those near at hand.

The fire grew dimmer and dimmer, until at last but a faint semi-circle
of embers remained. Shortly afterwards, however, he became aware by
seeing shrubs and rocks, which he had been hitherto unable