with which he had restrained the dog, and
the latter, feeling that he was free, began to wag his tail, fawn
before Pan Tarkowski with whom he was already well acquainted, and bark
joyfully.

The children gazed in the moonlight with admiration on his large round
head with hanging lips, on his bulky paws, on his powerful frame,
reminding one, in truth, of a lion with the tawny-yellowish color of
his body.

"With such a dog one could safely go through Africa," exclaimed Stas.

"Ask him whether he could retrieve a rhinoceros," said Pan Tarkowski.

Saba could not, indeed, answer that question, but instead wagged his
tail more and more joyfully and drew near to the group so
ingratiatingly that Nell at once ceased to fear him and began to pat
him on his head.

"Saba, nice, dear Saba."

Mr. Rawlinson leaned over him, raised his head towards the face of the
little girl, and said:

"Saba, look at this little lady. She is your mistress. You must obey
and guard her. Do you understand?"

"Wow!" was the basso response of Saba, as if he actually understood
what was wanted.

And he understood even better than might have been expected, for taking
advantage of the fact that his head was on a level with the little
girl's face, as a mark of homage he licked her little nose and cheeks
with his broad tongue.

This provoked a general outburst of laughter. Nell had to go to the
tent to wash herself. Returning after a quarter of an hour she saw Saba
with paws upon the shoulders of Stas, who bent under the weight; the
dog was higher by a head.

The time for sleep was approaching, but the little one asked for yet
half an hour of play in order to get better acquainted with her new
friend. In fact, the acquaintance proceeded so easily that Pan
Tarkowski soon placed her in lady fashion on Saba's back and, holding
her from fear that she might fall, ordered Stas to lead the dog by the
collar. She rode thus a score of paces, after which Stas tried to mount
this peculiar "saddle-horse," but the dog sat on his hind legs so that
Stas unexpectedly found himself on the sand near the tail.

The children were about to retire when in the distance on the market
place, illumined by the moon, appeared two white figures walking
towards the tents.

The hitherto gentle Saba began to growl hollowly and threateningly so
that Chamis, at Mr. Rawlinson's order, again had to take hold of the
collar, and in the meantime two men dressed in white burnooses