take care of itself.

"First catch your hare, Joe!" said the doctor finally. "And look here,
my lad; I begin to feel confident now that this prisoner is your father.
We must get him away. It is not a case of _try_! We _must_, I say;
and if anything happens to me--"

"Happens to you!" I said aghast.

"Well; I may be captured in his place!" he said smiling. "If I am,
don't wait, don't spare a moment, but get off with your prize. I don't
suppose they will do more than imprison me. I am a doctor, and perhaps
I can find some favour with them."

"Don't talk like that, doctor!" I said, grasping his hand. "We must
hold together."

"We must release your father!" he said sternly. "There, that will do."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

HOW WE HEARD A BLACK DISCUSSION AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND.

The rescue party consisted of the doctor, Ti-hi, and myself, with Jimmy
for guide. Jack Penny was to take command of the cave, and be ready to
defend it and help us if attacked or we were pursued. At the same time
he was to have the bearers and everything in readiness for an immediate
start, in case we decided to continue our flight.

"I think that's all we can say, Penny," said the doctor in a low grave
voice, as we stood ready to start. "Everything must depend on the
prisoners. Now be firm and watchful. Good-bye."

"I sha'n't go to sleep," said Jack Penny. "I say, though, hadn't you
better take Gyp?"

"Yes, yes; take Gyp!" I said; "he knows the way so well."

"Jimmy know a way so well, too!" said the black. "No take a dog--Gyp!"

But we decided to take the dog, and creeping down into the bed of the
rivulet we stood in the darkness listening, shut-in, as it were, by the
deep silence.

"Forward, Jimmy!" said the doctor, and his voice sounded hollow and
strange.

Gyp uttered a whine--that dog had been so well trained that he rarely
barked--ran quickly up the further bank of the rivulet; Jimmy trotted
after him, waddy in hand; the doctor went next, I followed, and Ti-hi
brought up the rear.

One minute the stars were shining brightly over us, the next we were
under the great forest trees, and the darkness was intense.

"Keep close to me, my lad," the doctor whispered; and I followed him by
the ear more than by the eye; but somehow the task grew easier as we
went on, and I did not once come in contact with a tree.

By the way Gyp took us I don't suppose it was more than six miles to the
savages' village; and tho