skill as a
swimmer equalled that of Percy, he would rather have trusted to his own
powers, than have hindered his companion from reaching the shore. The
raft was still some way off, although they could distinguish the
features of their friends. When, as they were treading water, holding
each other's hands, Lionel, casting a glance down the stream, exclaimed,
"O Percy, can that brute be coming this way?" Percy looked in the same
direction, and there sure enough he saw the head of a huge crocodile,
with its snout directed towards them.

"We won't stop here to be gobbled up, at all events," cried Percy. "Put
your hand as before on my back, and we'll swim towards the raft. We may
be in time to get on to it before the creature reaches us."

Though he said this, he felt very faint hopes of success; still, like a
brave fellow, he kept up, shouting and splashing as much as he could
without stopping on his way. Once he glanced over his shoulder. The
dreaded monster came swimming on. In another minute, before they could
possibly reach the raft, it would be up to them, though Hendricks and
his companions were exerting their utmost strength to urge it on. Just
then a man was seen running along the bank. He stopped, and raised a
rifle to his shoulder. Percy fancied he could hear the bullet whistle
through the air, and the thud as it struck the crocodile's head. The
monster sank from sight. Denis and Crawford raised a loud cheer, and in
a few seconds they were hauling Percy and Lionel, both almost exhausted,
on to the raft.

"Bravo! Percy, you did it well," cried Denis; "and Lionel showed
himself to be a brave little chap, or he would not have enabled you to
save him as you have done."

Hendricks was less demonstrative, but equally grateful to Percy,
although he had no time just then to show his feelings. Placing the two
boys on the centre of the raft, he, with the rest who had come on it,
had to exert themselves to pull back to the shore, where they found
Umgolo waiting to receive them.

"You saved the boys' lives, my friend," said Hendricks, addressing him
and taking his hand. "You have rendered me many services; this is not
the least of them."

Of course he spoke in Kaffir, and Umgolo replied in the same language,
that he was always ready to serve his young master, and that he was very
glad to have prevented the crocodile from destroying the two boys. No
time was lost in conveying them up to the spot where