m."

"Bet a cookie you will," chuckled Jack. "Remember how their eyes rolled,
and the first ones we shot got all trampled out of shape, and--"

Charlie reached over with a mimosa thorn and ended the discussion
suddenly. But, nevertheless, his dreams that night were none too
pleasant, and he woke more than once, almost feeling a herd of those
giant buffaloes grinding him beneath their hoofs.

CHAPTER XIV

THE LAKE OF MYSTERY

"This stream must be the outlet of the warm lake, all right," said
Schoverling the next morning as they sat at breakfast. "There seems to
be low hills ahead of us, but I think the wagon can get along."

"Yes," announced the doctor. "The hot lake must be of volcanic origin, a
very long time ago. These things one meets with often in Africa. I must
shoot one of those big buffalo, please."

"Then you'd better take my heavy gun," offered Charlie. "I've shot all
of 'em I care to." The doctor's white teeth flashed, as he nodded.

"If it was anywhere else we could ride ahead and pick out a road," said
Jack. "But we wouldn't dare leave the wagon here."

"Not much," laughed Schoverling. "If we'd been gone yesterday we'd have
had to settle down here for life. Well, let's inspan."

"Let's see that plan of Mowbray's--the Arabic one," said Charlie. The
explorer found it and tossed it over. The two boys pored over the
rudely-drawn chart while the oxen were being inspanned.

"This must be the river we're on," and Jack pointed to the line of a
stream flowing to the south and west of a small lake. "Why couldn't
we--"

"Hey, General!" called Charlie. "Come back here a minute!" The explorer,
who was filling his bandolier, came over to their side, and Charlie
pointed to the stream. "This river seems to run west out of the lake,
and then turn south. Now, she's running north and south right here,
isn't she?" The explorer, glancing at his compass, nodded. "Then instead
of keeping close to the stream, why couldn't we strike off northeast and
head straight for the lake? The river only leads us every which way."

"Good idea," exclaimed the General. "I had forgotten all about that map,
to tell the truth. The only question is whether we can depend on it."

"That fellow Selim," put in the interested doctor, "was a man of brains,
my friends. He would not send his camels and partner where he did not
know. There is too much game beside this river, also. I like it not."

"Very well," said Schoverling. "Then