the forest, had found a gun.

"A gun!" said Moto.

"A gun!" echoed Kalulu.

"Yes, a gun; and the medicine was in it--the medicine powder and
bullet--for when the man who found it was playing with it, boom! it
went, almost killing him with fright."

"Yes, yes, that's very funny; very funny," said Moto, trying to curb his
impatience; "but did your man find nothing else near it?"

"Nothing else, my brother. What do you mean? Was not the finding of a
gun strange enough in a forest which, for aught I know, never saw one
before? Can many more miracles happen to us like this?"

"But, my brother," urged Moto, with anger in his tones, "how could the
gun have come there if some one had not left it?"

"The Mienzi Mungu (Good Spirit) placed it there for me. It was not many
days ago since my father, the chief, died; and when I had put him in the
ground deep, and covered him with earth, I collected all his property in
a heap, and thanked the Mienzi Mungu, who had been so kind to me, and
prayed to him to make me rich and strong. The good Mienzi Mungu has
heard my prayers, and has sent this gun, with its strong medicine, from
the skies, for me."

"Chief, be silent," said Kalulu, holding up his hand; "the heir of
Katalambula commands thee. Knowest thou the spot where thy man found
this wonderful gun?"

"My lord, thy slave is silent when Kalulu speaks. I know not the place,
but my man must know."

The man was called, and when he was asked if he had searched the
vicinity for further treasures, he replied that he had not, as he had
hurried away with what he had found to his chief. He was then told to
prepare himself to accompany Kalulu and his men to the spot where he had
found the marvellous treasure.

Within two hours they had arrived, and stood under a tree in a dense
part of the noble forest. The trees grew around thickly, with many
towering columns, supporting a mass of leafage, impenetrable to glare of
sun or the white light of day.

On the man pointing the exact spot to Kalulu, Moto, and Simba, the
warriors of Katalambula were formed in line, and one half was ordered to
march northward, each distant from his fellow fifty paces, and the other
half was ordered to step out, with their faces to the south, in like
manner. The men having thus been posted in skirmishing order, were then
ordered to front towards the east and march forward, observing closely
everything strange they might see.

The men had not adv