gain, before he can die.
But--Master Abdullah!"

"Yes, Simba, what is it?"

"Dost thou really like big Simba?"

"Oh, Simba, how canst thou ask? Thou hast succeeded my father Mohammed
in my affections. Remember the Liemba and the crocodile. I can never
forget that awful moment, for the scars on my leg remind me of it
daily."

"I thought thou didst like Simba a little; but wouldst thou be very
sorry if Simba died to be left in this valley to be eaten by the hyaena
and the jackal, Abdullah?"

"Don't, don't, Simba, for Allah's sake, ask any such thing. Thou hast
said thou art not going to die, then why torment me?"

"Yes; but I might die if Master Abdullah did not do me one favour,
for--"

"Speak; command me, Simba--anything, everything," urged Abdullah.

"If Master Abdullah would only make a little fire, and Master Selim cut
a little meat from that fine eland that lies dead by that tree yonder,
Simba might eat meat and live."

"Thou shalt have meat, Simba," cried Abdullah, "before thou canst count
one hundred," and he bustled about, ran here and there; collected
bunches of dry grass, leaves, twigs, sticks; brought a good-sized log or
two of dead wood, between which a fire should be built; while Selim,
after taking the spear which had probed the leopard's heart, had run
towards the dead eland, and was slashing and carving great chunks of
meat.

Abdullah had his pile of wood ready, but he now turned with a puzzled
expression towards Simba, and said "Here is the wood; but where and how
can we get fire? Our guns are in the bottom of the sea!"

Kalulu, Moto, and Niani had come up by this time, and Moto, after
examining the wounds of his friend, turned round to Abdullah and said:

"Kalulu will help thee, Abdullah, to get fire; he does not need a
musket-pan or powder."

Abdullah wae curious to know how, for he had always seen a musket-pan
used, though he had wondered often when a slave with the Wazavila how
the natives obtained a fire; but he had never seen the process.

Kalulu, however, proceeded to show Abdullah how the Watuta obtained fire
by other means than a musket-pan. Selecting a piece of stiff, dry bark,
he placed it between his feet on the ground, and sprinkled it with a
little sand, which he first rubbed dry and warm between the palms of his
hands. He now chose the strongest arrow in his quiver, and, cutting off
the feathers and the notch, he pared the end until it was level. Then
gathering s