uld hardly be supposed
to exist.

They were gone, however, and must be sought for and brought back.

For this duty Congo was already making preparations, though with very
little prospect of success. Rain had been falling heavily all the
night, and had destroyed any chance of the lost animals being tracked,
even by Spoor'em.

Within a large enclosure, contiguous to the boer's dwelling, more than
five hundred cattle had been penned up during the eight. These had been
turned out to graze that morning, and, in consequence, the ground was
everywhere covered with the hoof-marks of horses and cattle.

A full hour was spent in finding a track that could, with any certainty,
be pronounced that of a giraffe, and this had been made by the animal
going in the direction of the sheds. Of course it was the spoor of the
camelopards when first led up on the evening before.

"Hendrik," exclaimed Willem, nearly frantic with despair; "what shall we
do? Those giraffes are somewhere, and must be found."

"They are just as likely to have gone in one direction as another,"
answered Hendrik, "and suppose we look for them in the direction of
Graaf Reinet."

This remark but increased Willem's despair, for it showed an
unwillingness on the part of his comrade to make any farther delay on
account of their misfortune.

The boer declared himself willing to furnish horses and men for a
search, if the hunters could ascertain, with any certainty, the
direction the runaways had taken.

Hans now volunteered a bit of advice, which was listened to by Willem,
as being the most sensible yet given.

"Our late captives," said that philosopher, "have made the most of a
good opportunity for escaping. It was, no doubt, done under an
instinct; and the same instinct will be likely to guide them back toward
their native land. If we go in search of them, let the search be made
in the direction from whence they came."

"Mine poys," broke in the boer, "dare ish no use lookin' if they goed
that way. Dey will not wait fast enough for anypoddy to catch up to
'em."

Hendrik and Arend expressed themselves of the same opinion.

"Congo, you black scoundrel!" exclaimed Willem, "where are our giraffes?
Which way shall we look for them?"

In answer to this question the bewildered Kaffir could only shake his
aching head.

Willem had great faith in Congo's instinct, and was not satisfied with
the limited information received from him.

"Do you think, Co