!" sighed Mark. "What a hot night! Here, I know; I'll go and see
how the dad is getting on."

A few steps took him to where he could see his father's face, the glow
from the fire throwing it up and flashing from his eyes.

"He is getting sunburnt," thought the boy, and then, stepping out of the
shadow cast by the waggon, he walked quickly towards the sentry of the
night and began speaking aloud:

"Don't shoot, father!"

"Why, Mark, my boy, what are you doing here? Have you heard anything?"

"No, father; but I couldn't sleep. Have you?"

"I heard a lion once, with his deep barking roar, and there are several
of those wretched jackals about. I am afraid we shall hear a good deal
more of these noises out in the plain than we did close in the shelter
of the forest. But don't stop talking. Go back to sleep."

"But I can't sleep, father," said the boy reproachfully.

"Nonsense! Try again. I daresay you will be able to go off now, after
coming out and talking to me."

"But can't I stay with you, father?" protested the boy.

"No. You must have sleep, and if you don't you will be uneasy
to-morrow. What makes you so wakeful? Not going to be ill, are you?"

"Oh, no, father; I'm quite well."

"Then go back to the waggon and lie down."

"Good-night, father."

"Good-night," was the reply. "Ah, there's another of those jackals.
What a miserable note it is!"

"Yes, father; but I think the hyaenas are worse," said Mark eagerly.

"Didn't I tell you to go back to bed, sir!"

"Yes, father, but--"

"Then go."

"Bother!" muttered the boy, as he went off. "He might as well have let
me stay. It would have been company for him."

Mark stepped on towards the dark side of the waggon, and continued
muttering to himself till he raised his hand to the side of the great
clumsy vehicle, placed a foot on one of the spokes, and was in the act
of drawing himself up to climb in, but suddenly let himself drop back,
for something leaped out of the interior of the waggon right over his
cousin, reaching the earth with a dull thud, and darting away.

"Whatever can that be?" said the boy excitedly, and with a catching of
the breath.

He felt his heart begin to pump heavily in his excitement.

"It must have been one of those leopards, but it gave me no time to see
what it was like. Here, Dean," he whispered, as he climbed up and bent
over his sleeping cousin. "Dean!"

"Oh, bother!"

"Don't make a noise," whispered