e the other, and much the easier, way, was to rise a few hundred
feet in the air, and then survey the country afresh. It was but
necessary to mention the latter course for it to be promptly decided
upon; and Sir Reginald at once went to the pilot-house and did what was
requisite, with the result that, a minute or two later, the _Flying
Fish_ was a thousand feet in the air, and drifting very gently to the
southward before a languid northerly breathing of warm wind.

This new position of the ship disclosed a scene of a very different
character from that upon which they had just before been gazing; for not
only had they now a very much wider horizon, but they were also able to
see over and beyond a great deal of the bush in their near vicinity, and
thus survey much open space that had before been hidden from them.
Moreover, many sounds that had before been inaudible to them now reached
their ears.

Sir Reginald now emerged from the pilot-house and rejoined his
companions, who all this while had never ceased to search the country
with their binoculars.

"Well, gentlemen," he exclaimed, "have you discovered anything worthy of
your notice?"

"There is a small herd of elephant feeding in that clump of timber
yonder," answered the professor, "and a few buck and antelope scattered
about here and there; but I can see no sign of unicorns, as yet."

"Then," said Sir Reginald, cheerfully, "we must be content with what we
can get, and go for the elephants. Probably we shall be obliged to go
into ambush at night for the unicorns. They _must_ drink, I presume;
and, if so, we ought to get them, sooner or later, by watching among the
reeds of the pool. What say you, gentlemen; do you care to try for a
shot at those elephants?"

Colonel Sziszkinski eagerly expressed his willingness to join a party,
and Lethbridge was altogether too keen a sportsman to let slip such an
opportunity; but Mildmay seemed rather disposed to be lazy that morning,
and linger with the ladies, while it soon became evident that the
professor could not be satisfied with any game other than unicorns. It
was therefore speedily arranged that Sir Reginald, Lethbridge, and their
Russian guest should have a try for the elephants, while Mildmay and von
Schalckenberg remained on board the _Flying Fish_.

The clump of timber in which the elephants had been seen feeding was by
this time about two miles distant, and almost directly to windward, in
the midst of a wi