en I saw him get up!
I thought I was dreaming, for I knew that both my bullets had got him in
the knee."

"I should think you would have been scared!" laughed the explorer. "I
was scared myself, that day the other bull nearly got us up on Mount
Kenia. Well, it's all over now. I guess you boys have gained the
biggest share of the credit, but you sure deserve it."

When the boys woke in the morning, the Masai were already hard at work
again. At last they got the huge sections of skin off, and the
protesting oxen were made to drag off the carcass away from the camp.
The hide was thoroughly cleansed, and then staked out to dry in the sun
for two days, after which the doctor would attend to it further.

"Doesn't it all seem like a wild old dream to you?" asked Jack that day,
as they rode out after an impalla steak. "It's hard to realize that
we've done it, Chuck."

"Just the same, we have," laughed Charlie. "Say, when we get back an'
show up the pictures we've taken, with the doctor's, won't we raise a
howl? I'd like to see that Inspector what's his name?--Inspector
Harrington's face when he hears about it! He'll throw a fit!"

"Not him," chuckled Jack ungrammatically but happily. "He'll put out his
hand an' say, 'By Jove, allow me to congratulate you! Wonderful!'"

Which, as it turned out, was exactly what he did.

CHAPTER XX

THE BACK TRAIL

They remained in "Rogue Camp," as Charlie christened it, for three days.
The injured Masai warriors were still in no shape to march, although
Amir was all right again, but the big wagon had plenty of room. The
ivory was loaded solidly and lashed down, with the elephant hide and
skull over it, the latter being up in front. On top were placed the
tents and other impedimenta, leaving just enough room for the two Masai
to lie comfortably beneath the tilt.

"I don't envy him his place," grinned Jack as they loaded him on, the
fourth morning. "Bet that hide won't smell like roses."

"Little he minds that," laughed von Hofe, in huge delight. "He is used
to much worse. Schoverling, what are the plans?"

All gathered about the explorer with interest. He drew forth the chart
belonging to Selim, which the Arab had omitted to take with him.

"I have our compass-bearings from the other camp, where Mowbray died,
to the first water-hole we struck. We can circle around these hills to
the southwest, then strike back to the river. To follow our old march
back to the water-hole wi