e of life then,"
said Mark, sleepily.

"Das so, massa. I'd rader be a nigger dan a crokindile."

Hockins said nothing, being sound asleep.

"What makes that rattling among the cooking-pots?" asked Mark, looking
round lazily.

"Rats," replied the guide. "Didn't you see them running along the roof
when you came in?"

"No, I didn't."

"Look up now, then, and you'll see them on the beams."

Mark and Ebony both looked up, and beheld a row of rats on the beam
overhead--their bead-like eyes glittering as they gazed over one side of
the beam, and their long tails just showing on the other.

"Das funny," said the negro, who was in sympathy with the whole brute
creation!

Mark thought it very much the reverse of funny, but held his peace.

"Dar's a ole grey un, massa, right ober 'Ockins's head--a tremenjous big
'un. Don't you see 'im wid a griggy young un beside 'im?"

Whether the griggy young one was also larky we cannot tell, but while
the negro was speaking it executed a flourish (whether intentional or
otherwise who can say?) which knocked the big grey rat off the beam, and
caused it to fall with a heavy flop on Hockins's face. Three others
fell off in their anxiety to observe the result.

Hockins leapt up with an indignant roar, and the rats leaped among the
pots and pans with a horrified squeak, while Ebony and the others looked
on with excruciating enjoyment.

The scurrying of many little feet among the household implements told
that the grey rat's friends were numerous though unseen, and the angry
grunting of pigs proved that other slumbers had been broken. Of course
the whole party were thoroughly awakened by this incident, but they took
it good-humouredly, and, after replenishing the fire, lay down again,
and resolutely shut their eyes and ears.

Slumber was once more stealing over them, when a noise at the door of
the hut awakened them. Next moment they started up, for two warriors of
the tribe entered with a prisoner between them.

"We caught this man entering our village," said one of the warriors,
fiercely, to the guide; "we would have taken him to our chief, but he
says that you are his friend--yet I think he lies."

"He speaks the truth," returned Ravonino, calmly. "He is my friend.
Doubtless he has good reasons for coming here. Leave him with us, we
will guard him till morning."

The warriors at once released their prisoner and retired, while the man
stepping forward into clearer lig