cident, and
explained all details until the roar of the lion announced the
unexpected termination of the Matabili's expedition.

"The morning will soon break now," said Hans; "the Eastern sky is
getting lighter; it will be an anxious moment to see how the horses are,
for on them mainly depends our safety. How far, think you, are we from
our people?"

"We shall take three days' riding at least to reach them, I think," said
Bernhard.

"Yes, quite that," said Victor, "and more too, if there are enemies in
the way, for then we may have to ride round."

"There is light enough now to look about us; so let us examine the
horses, and allow them to feed if they will," said Hans; "we shall want
all their strength."

The three men arose, and stretching themselves after their somewhat
cramped positions, examined their horses, which were standing quietly
near. To the experienced eyes of the hunters, these animals presented a
very pitiable condition. Out of the five horses one only seemed lively,
and inclined to eat; the remaining four, with hanging heads, lustreless
eyes, and drooping ears, seemed indifferent to all around them. A look
of despair was exchanged by the three men, as this fact was presented to
them.

"In a few hours we shall have but one horse," exclaimed Hans; "strong as
Katie is, her sister is weak, and they can never walk to our people. If
the Matabili follow us, we must die. Can you see a remedy, men?"

"We can sell our lives dearly," exclaimed Bernhard; "that we can at
least do. I have thirty bullets at least in my pouch, and in my horn
thirty charges of powder. We may beat off a large party of the enemy."

"The Matabili are not easily beaten off," remarked Hans: "they rush on
in a body, and though you may kill some, the others are upon you before
you can have time to load. If we could have some of those
many-barrelled guns that I have heard of which fire off several times
one after the other, we could do nothing but kill more before we were
killed; but with our roers only, we can do but little."

Whilst the men were thus talking in the twilight, Katie and her sister,
fully awake, joined them before their presence was known; and hearing
this last remark, the quick-witted girl at once suspected that the
horses were unfit to continue their journey.

"We can walk, Hans," said Katrine, as she touched his shoulder, "we can
walk, though, perhaps, not so fast as you can; but we can walk ever so
far.