"

"Don't chaff," said Dean seriously. "Go on, Mak."

And the black led the way onward along the edge of the forest till he
reached the spot where he had dashed in after the pigmy.

"That isn't right," said Mark; but Mak only laughed and signed to them
to come on, gliding in among the huge columnar trees for about half an
hour, and in the most effortless way pressing on, looking back from time
to time to see that his companions were following him.

"Well, I don't believe he's right," said Mark; "eh, Dean?"

His cousin shook his head.

"I hope he is," said Sir James; "but we are quite at his mercy."

"Yes," said the doctor, "and I don't wonder at all, boys, at your losing
your way. I know I should have had to give up."

"It seems so far," said Dean, and he looked enquiringly at their guide,
who stood smiling and waiting for them to come on.

At last full proof of the black's accuracy was shown by his stopping
short and pointing forward.

"Well, what are you doing that for?" cried Mark, who was next to him.
"Yes, all right, father; there goes one of them."

"I don't see anything," said the doctor, who came next in the single
file in which they had pursued their way.

"I did; I saw a face peep round one of the trees and dart back again."

"Are you sure?" said the doctor. "I can make out scarcely anything in
this darkness. Ah! Can you see anything now?"

For Mak was smiling at them, and pointing with his spear.

"No," replied Mark; "but we had better go on."

Their guide, however, seemed to differ, and signed to them to stay where
they were, and then passed out of sight, leaving those he guided looking
nervously at one another.

"Well, we shall be in a pretty mess, Master Mark," said Sir James, "if
that Day and Martin fellow doesn't come back."

"Oh, he will come back, father," said Mark confidently.

"Yes," said the doctor, "I don't doubt that; only he may lose his way."

"Not likely," said Mark; "eh, Dean?"

"Well," said the latter, speaking rather nervously, "if we were back at
the waggon and you said that I should think just as you do, but now we
are here again I can't help feeling that nasty nervousness come back.--
Ah!" he ejaculated, with a deep sigh of relief, for one minute the
little party was anxiously peering about them in the deep gloom, looking
for a way in amongst the towering trees, the next their guide had
reappeared as if by magic, signing to them to come on. And five minutes