case; for they had not been half an hour on
their mattresses, before they were awakened by loud cries of "help,"
which made them seize their guns and jump out of the waggons without
waiting for their clothes.

The Hottentots and Caffres were so full of hippopotamus-flesh, that the
noise did not awake but a small portion of them, and these only turned
round and stared about without getting up, with the exception of Bremen,
who was on his feet and, with his gun in his hand, running in the
direction of the cries. He was followed by our travellers, and they
soon came up with the object of their search, which proved to be no
other than Big Adam, the Hottentot; and as soon as they perceived his
condition, which they could do by the light of the fires still burning,
they all burst out laughing so excessively, that they could not help
him.

That it was the work of little Omrah there was no doubt, for Big Adam
had not forgotten the former trick the boy had played him, and had more
than once, when he caught the boy, given him a good cuffing. Big Adam
was on the ground, dragged away by two of the largest dogs. Omrah had
taken the bones he could find with most flesh upon them belonging to the
hippopotamus, and had tied them with leathern thongs to the great toes
of Big Adam as he lay snoring after his unusual repast. He had then
waited till all were asleep, and had let loose the two largest dogs,
which were always tied with the others under the waggons, and not
over-fed, to make them more watchful.

The dogs had prowled about for food, and had fallen in with these large
bones, which they immediately seized, and were dragging away, that they
might make their repast without interruption; but in attempting to drag
away the bones, they had dragged Big Adam some yards by his great toes,
and the pain and fright--for the Hottentot thought they were hyenas or
wolves--had caused him thus to scream for help. Bremen divided the
thongs with his knife, and the dogs ran off growling with the bones, and
Adam stood again upon his feet, still so much terrified as not to be
able to comprehend the trick which had been played him. Our travellers,
having indulged their mirth, retired once more to their resting-places.
The Major found Omrah and Begum both in their corners of the waggon, the
former pretending to be fast asleep, while the latter was chattering and
swearing at the unusual disturbance.

At daylight the next morning they resumed t