adventures," said
he, after relating his own experiences of the day, "but so far our
expedition has been anything but profitable."

"We must go farther down the river," said Willem. "We have not yet seen
the spoor of either hippopotamus or giraffe. We must keep moving until
we come upon them. I never want to see another lion, borele, or
elephant."

"But what is your other reason for going back to camp?" asked Hendrik,
addressing himself to Arend.

"What would it be?" replied Arend. "Do you suppose that our dear friend
Hans has no feelings?"

"O, that's what you mean, is it?"

"Of course it is. Surely Hans will by this time be half dead with
anxiety on our account."

All agreed that it would be best to go on to the camp; and, after
transferring the saddle and bridle from the carcass of the horse to the
shoulders of Congo, they proceeded onward, arriving in camp at a very
late hour, and finding Hans, as Arend had conjectured, overwhelmed with
apprehension at their long absence.

CHAPTER NINE.

AN INCIDENT OF THE ROAD.

Next morning, they broke up their camp and moved down the river,
extending their march into the second day.

After passing the drift where the Limpopo had been first crossed, Groot
Willem, accompanied by Congo, was riding nearly a mile in advance of his
companions. His object in leading the way so far ahead was to bag any
game worthy of his notice, before it should be frightened by the others.

Occasionally, a small herd of some of the many varieties of antelopes in
which South Africa abounds fled before him; but these the great hunter
scarce deigned to notice. His thief object was to find a country
frequented by hippopotami and giraffes.

On his way he passed many of the lofty pandanus or screw pine-trees.
Some of these were covered from top to bottom with parasitic plants,
giving them the appearance of tall towers or obelisks. Underneath one
of these trees, near the river, and about three hundred yards from where
he was riding, he saw a buffalo cow with her calf. The sun was low
down; and the time had therefore arrived when some buffalo veal would be
acceptable both to the men and dogs of the expedition.

Telling Congo to stay where he was, the hunter rode to the leeward of
the buffalo cow, and, under cover of some bushes, commenced making
approach. Knowing that a buffalo cow is easily alarmed, more especially
when accompanied by her calf, he made his advances with the grea