do so. This task accomplished,
placing it on rollers, the boys assisting, we easily dragged it down to
the water. "There, Master Leo, I told you she would not be lopsided,"
exclaimed Jack. "Not she; see! she sits on the water like a duck; and
them paddles will send her pretty briskly through it, depend on that."

We all jumped in, and eagerly paddled about, well pleased with the
success of our undertaking. Though capacious, however, it was evident
that she would not carry the whole of our party and luggage, and I was
glad therefore that our second canoe was nearly completed.

"We will have races!" cried Leo; "Natty shall steer one, and I the
other. Won't it be fun!"

The boys, taking the paddles, showed by the way they handled them that
they would soon be able to manage her. They wished, indeed, to start at
once down the river, but as it was already getting late, we were
compelled to return to the shore. We found a secure place where we
could conceal the canoe under some bushes, and having done so, returned
homewards. Senhor Silva was somewhat better, and the strange negro had
sufficiently recovered to speak. He told Chickango that he belonged, as
we supposed, to the village we had visited, that his name was Igubo, and
that he had the reputation of being one of the best hunters of the
tribe. "And so I am," he added; "but had it not been for my white
friend there, I should have been slain at last by my huge enemy, of
whose brothers I have killed so many." Though he could have had but a
glance at Stanley he recognised him at once, and begged Chickango to
thank him for saving his life.

The next day the boys were very eager to go out in the canoe. "No, no,
young gentlemen, time enough by-and-by," said Jack. "You come and help
Timbo and I to finish off the other, and we will get on with it while
the Captain and Mr Crawford take a cruise."

"But, I say, we have not settled what they are to be called," exclaimed
Leo, as we walked along.

"I have been thinking about that," said Natty. "What do you say to
calling one the _Panther_, and the other the _Leopard_? They are proper
names for this part of the world."

"And so would be the _Crocodile_ and _Hippopotamus_," said Leo; "and as
they are water animals, those names would be more suitable."

"But they are not pretty names," argued Natty. "Would not the _Giraffe_
and _Gazelle_ be better?"

"We ought to have got Kate and Bella down to name them," exclai