ncle, "and there is something more. Look, Ebo has gone
on. He seems to understand by our looks when he cannot make out our
words."

For Ebo had trotted forward towards the tree that had taken our
attention, where the great hornbill had flown to a dead trunk some
ten-feet from the ground, and then flapped away.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

A CURIOUS MARRIED COUPLE.

As Ebo reached the tree he turned back to us laughing and pointing with
his spear, and then signed to us to come, though even when we were close
up to him I could see nothing but a tiny hole in the trunk of the great
tree.

"It can't be a nest, uncle," I said, "because it is not big enough.
Perhaps it is a wild bees' hive."

"I don't know yet," said my uncle. "I'm like you, Nat, a little bit
puzzled. If it were not so small I should say it was a nest from the
way that great hornbill keeps flapping about and screeching."

"Shall I shoot it, uncle?" I said eagerly.

"Well, no, Nat, I hardly like to do that. If it is as I think, it would
be too cruel, for we should be starving the young, and it will be easy
to get a specimen of a hornbill if we want one, though really it is such
a common bird that it is hardly worth carriage as a skin."

Just then, to show us, Ebo began to poke at the hole with the point of
his spear, and we saw the point of a bill suddenly pop out and dart in
again, while the great hornbill shrieked and shouted, for I can call it
nothing else, so queerly sounded its voice.

"Why, it can't be the hornbill's nest, uncle!" I said. "Look how small
it is."

"Yes, it is small, but it is the hornbill's nest after all," said my
uncle, as Ebo kept on poking at the hole and bringing down pieces of
what seemed to be clay. Then, seeing how interested we were, he took
off his basket, lay down his spear, and taking a hatchet from his
waistband cut a few nicks for his toes, and began to climb up, the big
hornbill screeching horribly the while, till Ebo was level with the
hole, from out of which the end of a bill kept on peeping.

Then the hornbill flew off and Ebo began to chop away a large quantity
of dry clay till quite a large hole was opened, showing the original way
into the hollow tree; and now, after a great deal of hoarse shrieking
the black got hold of the great bird that was inside, having quite a
fight before he could drag it out by the legs, and then dropping with
it, flapping its great wings, to the ground.

"Undoubtedly the fe