them understand?"

"Omatoko will make them understand you well enough. He is as much
frightened as the rest. You can also, if you like it, require that a
guide be sent with us for the first part of the journey. You may be
quite sure, that whatever you ask they will agree to."

"Won't you stay with me?"

"I think I had better not. Their feeling of awe and reverence is
personal to yourself. They don't regard us as favourites of the god;
and but for your protection of us, would be ready to put us to death
this minute. We are going back to our hut. I need not tell you to
offer up our thanks for this great mercy. We will wait there till you
join us."

"Well, Charles, I will do as you advise. But I wish this was over. I
can hardly realise to myself what has happened. It is all like a dream!
I only feel as if I could think of nothing till I had joined with you
in your thanksgiving for this wonderful deliverance."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

FRANK, LORD-PARAMOUNT--AN ANT VILLAGE--AMIABLE BEES--A HASTY DRAUGHT--
SEARCH FOR WATER--A STRANGER.

It was the second day after the narrow escape of our travellers as
related in the last chapter. The boys, attended by Lion, who seemed
quite strong again, were sitting under the shade of some gum trees, in
the immediate neighbourhood of what appeared to be a deserted village,
only that the houses were much larger and more solidly built than those
described in a previous chapter. They were awaiting the arrival of the
doctor, who had loitered behind to take leave of Omatoko, and make sure
that he had set off on his return to the Hottentot kraal. Frank had had
very great difficulty in parrying the importunity of the Hottentots, who
were fully convinced that the prosperity of the tribe would be secured
for ever, if he would but consent to take upon himself the chiefship,
from which they were prepared to eject Umboo without further ceremony.
When they found that his determination on the subject could not be
overcome, their chagrin was so great, that nothing but their
superstitious fears of Frank's influence with their deity restrained
them from using force to compel him to conform to their wishes. But he
had, by Lavie's advice, adopted a very curt and lofty demeanour with
them, refusing to listen to any argument, and peremptorily insisting
that all the arms belonging to the party should be restored, on pain of
his heavy displeasure. This demand was no sooner made known, thro