here were gaping holes in the thatch walls, and before
him was a pool of blood, black against the dirt. The two boys reached
the doorway and Burt sank down gratefully in the warm morning sunlight,
leaning against the wall of the hut.

"You must have had a fierce time," said Critch sympathetically. "Are you
hurt?"

Burt glanced down and shook his head. His shirt had been ripped to
pieces by that savage sweep of the lion's paw, but beyond one slight
scratch he had escaped damage. He paled again at the narrowness of the
escape. Then Critch thrust some roasted bananas into his hand, and the
two boys made their breakfast together.

"I feel a heap better now," smiled Burt weakly as he set down the empty
canteen at length. "Now we can talk."

"What happened, anyhow?" inquired Critch eagerly. "When I got here five
minutes ago you were lyin' on your back. I thought you was dead, sure,
when I saw all that blood and the wrecked hut."

Strengthened by his sleep and the food, Burt gradually regained his
self-control as he related the story of that terrible night to his chum.
Critch listened with eager interest, then rose and dashed into the hut.
An instant later he reappeared, frowning.

"The axe is gone," he exclaimed excitedly. "Think you killed him?"

"How do I know?" retorted Burt. "I hit him as hard as I could, and I
guess it landed between his eyes, but that's all I can tell."

"You must ha' landed pretty hard, then," mused Critch, "judgin' from all
that blood. Anyhow, we can follow him up--"

"Do it yourself," broke in Burt. "I know just about how Cap'n Mac felt
now. I wouldn't monkey with that lion again for a million dollars cash.
No sir!"

"Well, I will!" cried Critch excitedly. "I can get Mbopo--"

"Oh, how did you come out?" interrupted Burt, with new interest. "I
judged from the sounds that it worked all right."

"Work!" laughed Critch. "I should say it did work! Why, I've got the
whole blamed tribe eatin' out o' my hand, Burt! Even Mbopo ain't quite
sure whether he ought to kow-tow or kneel down when he speaks to me. It
was easy!

"After we left here I had a lot of trouble trying to make the other
fellows carry that _ankh_. They were scared to death of the thing.
Before we got to the gate I fixed up the procession right. Mbopo went
first with the mummy. Then come the two brothers carryin' the _ankh_
between 'em on the spear. I come last with the mummy-case.

"The whole tribe was feasting and dancing an