n one glorious debauch, to finish the last of his tobacco.

This rubber collector, the last and the humblest creature on earth, had
given them fire and shelter; they were also to be beholden to him for
food. His wretched cassava cakes and his calabash of water gave them their
breakfast next morning, and then they started, the collector leading,
walking before them through the dense growth of the trees as assuredly as
a man following a well-known road. It was a terrible thing for him to
leave his post, but the white men were from M'Bassa and wished to return
to M'Bassa, and M'Bassa was the head centre of his work and the terrible
Mecca of his fears. White men from there and going to there must be
obeyed.

This was the last phase of the great hunt. Berselius had been slowly
stripped by the wilderness of everything now but the clothes he stood up
in, his companion and two porters. Guns, equipment, tents, stores, the
Zappo Zap, and the army of men under that ferocious lieutenant, had all
"gone dam." He was mud to the knees, his clothing was torn, he was mud to
the elbows from having tripped last night and fallen in a quagmire, his
face was white and drawn and grimy as the face of a London cabrunner, his
hair was grayer and dull, but his eyes were bright and he was happy. At
M'Bassa he would be put upon the road again--the only road to the thing he
craved for as burning Dives craved for water--himself.

But it was ordained that he should find that questionably desirous person
before reaching M'Bassa.

They had been on the march for an hour when Adams, fussing like a person
who is making his first journey by rail, stopped the guide to make sure he
was leading them right.

"M'Bassa?" said Adams.

"M'Bassa," replied the other, nodding his head. Then with outspread hand
he pointed before them and made a semicircular sweep to indicate that he
was leading them for some reason by a circuitous route.

He was making, in fact, for open ground that would bring them in the
direction of the fort by a longer but much easier road than a direct line
through the jungle. He was making also for water, for his scant supply had
been exhausted by his guests, and he knew the road he was taking would
lead him to broad pools of water. Adams nodded his head to imply that he
understood, and the man led on.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE VISION OF THE POOLS

Somewhere about noon they halted for a rest and some food. It was less
boggy here, and