ely to come down to drink at the pool. We should not, therefore,
have hastened our footsteps, had we not been anxious to obtain a fresh
supply of water; for the small stock Hans and Jan had brought was
exhausted, and we were now almost as thirsty as we had been on the
previous day.

Hans walked on ahead without speaking; but as he was never very
talkative, we were not surprised at this. At last he turned round, and
told Jan that he must carry his leopard-skin.

We thought this too much of a good thing. Jan appealed to us.

"Certainly not," answered Harry. "You claimed all the skin as your
property. You are bound to carry it, or leave it behind if you like,
but Jan shall not be compelled to carry it."

Hans turned round and walked on sullenly, but presently I saw him drop
his burden, and then present his rifle at Harry. Fearing that Hans was
about to murder my friend, I dashed forward and struck up the weapon,
which the next instant went off, the bullet almost grazing Harry's hat.

"We must overpower the man," I said, making a sign to Jan, and we all
three threw ourselves upon him, and prevented him drawing his knife,
when he would, I suspect, have run amuck among us, as the Malays
frequently do when exasperated.

How to treat the madman--for such he appeared to be--it was difficult to
say. He was immensely strong, and we had to exert ourselves to keep him
down. Jan proposed to kill him, and was drawing his knife for the
purpose when we interfered.

"We shall have to do it, I fear, if we cannot bind his hands behind
him," said Harry.

"No, no; we must deprive him of his rifle and ammunition, and he will
thus be compelled to follow us."

"If he wanders away into the desert, his fate will be certain," observed
Harry.

"He has brought it upon himself," I remarked; "here, Jan, take my
rifle-strap; slip it round his arms and draw it tight,--be quick about
it. Now, Harry, get another strap round his legs."

All this time Hans was struggling violently, without uttering a word.
Having succeeded in doing as I proposed, we had him completely in our
power. He grinned fearfully and foamed at the mouth; indeed, he almost
seized poor Jan's bare arm in his teeth, and had not Harry given him a
severe blow he would have succeeded.

"Now let's try to get him on his feet, and we will then slacken the
strap sufficiently to enable him to walk, though not to allow him to run
away," I said.

Hans was very unwilling a