to
the water was much less than it had been in the former case. We all
cheered as she was launched into the water.

"May you bound over the waters of the river as your namesake does over
the prairie," exclaimed Bella; "and carry us safely to the south, there
to end your existence in a respected old age!"

"Bravo, Bella!" cried Leo, clapping his hands. "You have uttered my
speech to perfection, and now you shall have the pleasure of the first
paddle our new craft has made. Come, Andrew, come, Timbo, we will lose
no time; we can get back for breakfast."

The _Gazelle_ floated even more gracefully than her sister canoe. The
boys jumped in with their paddles, and Timbo and I holding her to the
bank while the ladies stepped in, we followed them, the black taking his
place in the bow with another paddle, and I sitting in the stern and
steering with a fourth. Chickango and Jack were in the other canoe, and
were soon after us.

"Come, let us have a race; we will beat you!" cried Leo, flourishing his
paddle; and Natty seconded him, though he saw very well that Timbo and I
were really doing most of the work.

We pulled rapidly down the stream, startling numerous birds, some with
beautiful plumage, greatly to the delight of Bella. We had not gone
far, when a huge head appeared near the bank.

"Oh, what a monster!" exclaimed Bella, shrieking with alarm. "That must
be one of those dreadful river-horses which so nearly ate you all up the
other day."

"Oh no; he only nearly bit the boat in two," said Natty; "and we will
not let him come near you now."

"We will keep out of his way, at all events," I observed, turning the
canoe round.

Stanley just then fired at a water-fowl, and immediately several dark
heads rose above the water to see what was the matter, and a huge
monster, not hitherto perceived, came rolling off the bank; but he, as
well as his companions, quickly disappeared beneath the surface.
Remembering what had before occurred, I could not help dreading that one
of them might rise up and strike the bottom of our canoe.

"Don't you think we had better go on shore?" said Bella, looking back on
the spot where the river-horses had appeared. "Kate, you will want to
be there some time before Stanley, to get the breakfast ready."

Little Bella's courage had evidently oozed away. However, as I knew it
was possible that one of the hippopotami might strike us, we paddled up
the stream as fast as we could go.