om the distant land.

The Arab at the tiller holds up his hand, and says one word:--"_Simba_
(lion)!"

We all sit up and listen. Then it comes again, a slow, majestic sound,
that thrills us to the marrow.

"To-morrow by ten o'clock," I say, "we ought, if the Captain is not out
in his reckoning, which I think very probable, to make this mysterious
rock with a man's head, and begin our shooting."

"And begin our search for the ruined city and the Fire of Life,"
corrected Leo, taking his pipe from his mouth, and laughing a little.

"Nonsense!" I answered. "You were airing your Arabic with that man at
the tiller this afternoon. What did he tell you? He has been trading
(slave-trading, probably) up and down these latitudes for half of his
iniquitous life, and once landed on this very 'man' rock. Did he ever
hear anything of the ruined city or the caves?"

"No," answered Leo. "He says that the country is all swamp behind, and
full of snakes, especially pythons, and game, and that no man lives
there. But then there is a belt of swamp all along the East African
coast, so that does not go for much."

"Yes," I said, "it does--it goes for malaria. You see what sort of an
opinion these gentry have of the country. Not one of them will go with
us. They think that we are mad, and upon my word I believe that they are
right. If ever we see old England again I shall be astonished. However,
it does not greatly matter to me at my age, but I am anxious for you,
Leo, and for Job. It's a Tom Fool's business, my boy."

"All right, Uncle Horace. So far as I am concerned, I am willing to take
my chance. Look! What is that cloud?" and he pointed to a dark blotch
upon the starry sky, some miles astern of us.

"Go and ask the man at the tiller," I said.

He rose, stretched his arms, and went. Presently he returned.

"He says it is a squall, but it will pass far on one side of us."

Just then Job came up, looking very stout and English in his
shooting-suit of brown flannel, and with a sort of perplexed appearance
upon his honest round face that had been very common with him since he
got into these strange waters.

"Please, sir," he said, touching his sun hat, which was stuck on to the
back of his head in a somewhat ludicrous fashion, "as we have got all
those guns and things in the whale-boat astern, to say nothing of the
provisions in the lockers, I think it would be best if I got down and
slept in her. I don't like the looks" (here