hoo, Nehow, Tetaheite, and Menalee. They were
evidently as concerned about the safety of the child as were the white
men.

"Now, lads," said Christian, after it was ascertained that the poor
woman could give no information whatever, "we must search at once, but
we must go about it according to a fixed plan. I remember once reading
of a General having got lost in a great swamp one evening with his
staff. It was near the sea, I think, and the tide was making. He
collected his officers and bade them radiate out from him in all
directions, each one in a straight line, so as to make sure of at least
one of them finding the right road out of the danger. We will do
likewise."

Following out this plan, the entire party scattered themselves into the
bush, each keeping in a straight line, searching as he went, and
widening the field of search as his distance from the centre increased.
There was no time to lose, for the shades of night had already begun to
fall.

Anxiously did the poor mother and one or two of the other women sit in
the clearing, listening for the expected shout which should indicate
success. For a long time no shout of any kind was heard, though there
was considerable noise when the searching party came upon the lairs of
members of the livestock that had taken up their quarters in the bush.

We will follow only the line of search which ended in success. It was
pursued by Christian himself. At first he came on spots where domestic
fowls had taken up their abode. Then, while tramping through a mass of
luxuriant ferns, he trod on the toes of a slumbering hog, which
immediately set up a shriek comparable only to the brake of an ill-used
locomotive. This uncalled-for disturbance roused and routed a
considerable number of the same family which had taken refuge in the
same locality. After that he came on a bevy of cats, seated at
respectful distances from each other, in glaring and armed neutrality.
His sudden and evidently unexpected appearance scattered these to the
four points of the compass.

Presently he came upon a pretty open spot of small size, which was
surrounded by shrubs and trees, through the leafy branches of which the
setting sun streamed in a thousand rays. One of these rays dazzled the
eyes, and another kissed the lips of a Nanny-goat. It was Sally's pet,
lying down and dozing. Beside it lay Sally herself, sound asleep, with
her pretty little face resting on its side, and one of her