lay as possible, but most of his journey
would have to be made in the night,--a dangerous time for travelling.

He had now been gone long enough to reach the camp and return. "Sister
Ann" on the watch-tower of Bluebeard's castle could not have gazed more
earnestly than did they for his reappearance upon the bank above them.
Their anxious vigil was at length rewarded. Near the hour of noon their
ears were greeted by shouts, and shortly after they saw Hans, Congo, and
Macora standing on the bank above them. The chief was accompanied by
about a score of his followers, carrying long ropes by the direction of
Congo.

"Where is Hendrik?" was the first question of Hans, asked in a trembling
voice.

"We cannot tell," was the reply. "He swam down the river in the hope of
being able to make the bank below. We have great fear that some
misfortune has befallen him."

While the three yagers continued the solemn conversation, Macora took a
number of his people a short distance up the river.

Near the bank was found the prostrate trunk of a tree about fifty feet
in length. It had long been down; and was quite dead and dry. After
making the lines fast to one end of it, it was pushed into the stream
and directed in such a manner as to drift down to the rock on which the
two youths were standing. The other end of the rope was firmly grasped
by several of Macora's men.

Swiftly the log, carried by the current, came in contact with the rock;
when the men, keeping the rope on a taut stretch, prevented it from
going farther.

With the nimbleness of a couple of cats, Willem and Arend sprang on to
it, and, setting themselves astride, were hauled to the bank, where both
were at length safely landed.

The first thing they saw, was the body of the elephant at which they had
fired so many shots. The animal had at length succumbed, sinking into
its eternal sleep in spite of its implacable anger.

As the hunters were no longer in any anxiety for themselves, their
apprehensions became all the more keen for the fate of their missing
friend. Although suffering greatly from fatigue as well as the want of
food, Willem and Arend would not stay even to eat, till a search had
been made for him.

There is no sentiment of the human mind, unless it is self esteem, that
is capable of resting on so unstable a foundation as hope. Hendrik had
now been absent more than twenty-four hours. The chances were a hundred
to one against their ever