me. I cut off a few pounds; but the smell of the flesh at last
made me desist, thinking that neither Natty nor I would be able to eat
it, either smoked or dried. I had thrown it down, indeed, but still I
thought it might be wiser to secure some; so I took up what I had cut
off, and returned with it to the tree. Without telling Natty, I lighted
a fire, and cutting it into strips, hung it up to the branches, so that
it might be thickly enveloped in smoke. By giving the little zebra
plenty of grass, in three or four days he had entirely recovered from
his injury. Natty also said that he felt better, and was sure he could
undertake the journey homeward.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

ANXIETY ABOUT OUR FRIENDS--A SEARCH FOR LEO.

On a bright morning, as soon as we had breakfasted, I mounted Natty on
the zebra's back, and leading him with my handkerchief, set off in the
direction of our home. I had manufactured some baskets, in which I
stowed the honeycombs and the remaining portion of our meat, with
several large white mushrooms. I hoped we might find provisions on our
way; at the same time, as I had only three or four charges of powder
left, I did not think it wise to abandon what we possessed. The little
zebra bore Natty very willingly, but, unaccustomed to the burden on its
back, could only proceed at a slower pace than I could have walked.
However, I was very thankful to have this means of conveyance for my
young friend. The sun came down with great heat, and I began to fear he
would suffer from it. Accordingly I steered a course towards a clump of
trees, where he might rest under the shade. I placed him on the ground,
and told him to hold the zebra, which, I was afraid, might, following
the wild instincts of its nature, scamper off. I then cut a stick and
several boughs with large leaves, with which I manufactured a parasol to
shelter him as we walked along. He was very grateful for the shade, and
begged that I would make it sufficiently large to shelter my head also.
This I accordingly did. I should have said that I had doubled up my
jacket and placed it on the zebra's back for a saddle. I made also, out
of some vines, a pair of stirrups, which enabled Natty to ride more at
ease.

Having taken some dinner, we again pushed on. I was greatly
disappointed when, as the evening began to close in, I found that we
were still at a considerable distance from the hill which we were
anxious to reach. Just as I had