claimed Ailie, in a whisper--for she felt that things
were beginning to look serious--"what _are_ we to do?"

"Indeed, my pet, I don't know," replied Glynn, looking round and
encountering the gaze of the negro in the stern, at whom he frowned
darkly, and received a savage grin by way of reply.

"I would like _so_ much to say something to you," continued Ailie, "but
I'm afraid _he_ will know what I say."

"Never fear, Ailie; he's as deaf as a post to our language. Out with
it."

"Could you not," she said, in a half-whisper, "cut the rope, and then
paddle away back while _they_ are paddling down the river?"

Glynn laughed in spite of himself at this proposal.

"And what, my pretty one," he said, "what should we do with the fellow
in the stern? Besides, the rascals in front might take it into their
heads to paddle after us, you know, and what then?"

"I'm sure I don't know," said Ailie, beginning to cry.

"Now, don't cry, my darling," said Glynn, looking over his shoulder with
much concern. "I'll manage to get you out of this scrape somehow--now
see if I don't."

The youth spoke so confidently, that the child felt somehow comforted,
so drying her eyes she lay back among the leopard-skins, where, giving
vent to an occasional sob, she speedily fell fast asleep.

They continued to advance thus in silence for nearly an hour, crossed a
small lake, and again entered the river. After descending this some
time, the attention of the whole party was attracted to a group of
hippopotami, gambolling in the mud-banks and in the river a short
distance ahead. At any other time Glynn would have been interested in
the sight of these uncouth monsters, but he had seen so many within the
last few days that he was becoming comparatively indifferent to them,
and at that moment he was too much filled with anxiety to take any
notice of them. The creatures themselves, however, did not seem to be
so utterly indifferent to the strangers. They continued their gambols
until the canoes were quite near, and then they dived. Now,
hippopotami, as we have before hinted, are clumsy and stupid creatures,
so much so that they occasionally run against and upset boats and
canoes, quite unintentionally. Knowing this, the natives in the large
canoe kept a sharp look-out in order to steer clear of them.

They had almost succeeded in passing the place, when a huge fellow, like
a sugar-punchean, rose close to the small canoe, and grazed it with h