g to
that visitor.

"But I understood you to say that you had never seen them."

"No; I had to turn back, for my leave had nearly expired, and I came
away with the belief that there were no ruins, and that those who had
reported about them had seen nothing but some of the castle-like kopjes
that look sometimes at a distance like built fortresses of huge granite
stones. Still I have heard on the other hand that there are such ruins,
and that after their fashion the black tribes keep it a secret and look
upon the spot as a sort of Mecca--a sacred place which it is dangerous
to approach and which they will not allow the white man to come near for
fear he should be hurt, and from fear on their own part of the old
bogeys which haunt the ruins. I don't answer for this. It may be all
talk, and if I had time there is nothing I should like to do better than
to prove it."

"Then you think there is risk in going there."

"No," said the captain, "I really do not. If there were I don't think
that the guide would be so ready to undertake his task."

"But the ruins may exist," said the doctor; and the boys listened with
their ears wide open or well on the gape for news.

"Certainly; there is plenty of room," said the captain, laughing; "and
the black fellow I told you about, as far as I can make out from his
jumble of the Ulaka language and broken English, declares that he has
seen them--big stone kraals, he calls them."

"Well, why can't you come with us to see?" said the doctor. "It is
bound to be very interesting."

"Awfully," said the captain, "and there must be plenty of good sport out
there. I'll vouch for that."

"What shall we get?" asked Mark eagerly.

"Lions," said the captain, smiling--"plenty of them. Do you like lion
shooting?"

"How can I?" said Mark testily. "How could I? I never shot anything
bigger than a pheasant in my life. You are laughing at me."

"Oh, no," said the captain, patting him on the shoulder; "and I daresay
next time we meet you will have bagged one or more, and have the skins
to show me. Then you will get leopards, which by all means shoot, for
they are very mischievous. You will find plenty of hippos in the river,
and crocs too. That's why they call it Reptile River; and if you go on
far enough, as you ought to if you have plenty of time, you may get a
shot or two at giraffes. Ah, and as I say if you go on far enough you
may run against okapis."

"O--what, sir?" cried th