nd there, lodged on the bole of some giant
acacia or baobab; while above, the smaller boughs were tenanted by
multitudes of monkeys, for once omitting their customary scream and
chatter in the presence of mortal peril.

De Walden perceived that it would be possible for the party now to make
their way from tree to tree, until the right hand bank should be
reached. That to the left, which was the one along which their journey
now lay, being cut off from them by impassable obstacles. But they must
get on shore first, and again attempt the passage of the river
afterwards. He shouted to the others, and at length succeeded in
rousing them from the torpor, which for some time had been creeping over
them. Guided by him, they crawled stiffly and wearily from their
resting-places, along one trunk after another, often almost pushing
aside beasts of prey, which it would have been death to approach at
other times, but which now shrank away from them in deadly fear--until
at last the river's bank was attained. Here they struggled on for a
short distance, through the dense underwood of thorn and reed, until
they had reached a patch of long grass; when all, with one consent as it
were, threw themselves on the soft couch, and were soon locked in the
profoundest sleep.

How long they might have slept it is impossible to say. They were
awakened about the middle of the day by finding themselves in the hands
of a number of black men, who had already despoiled them of their
accoutrements, and were engaged in tying their arms behind their backs
with rheims of rhinoceros hide. They sat up and stared about them,
hardly realising at first what had happened.

"Hallo, blacky," exclaimed Nick, when he had at length taken in the
situation, "what may you happen to be about? Do you know, these legs
and arms, that you are handling after that free-and-easy fashion, belong
to me? Why, I declare," he continued, as he caught a clearer view of
the man who was employed in tying him, "I declare that is one of the
fellows whom you let off one fine morning about three weeks ago, Mr De
Walden! One blacky is generally as like another as an egg is to an egg,
but I think I could swear to that fellow's nose and eyebrows. Ain't I
right, sir?"

"Quite right, I am sorry to say, Nick," replied De Walden. "I am more
vexed than surprised at this. I knew these fellows would not return to
Chuma without us if they could help it, and half feared they might be