urried down to meet them. Timbo, when he saw me, made a sign to me not
to shout, pointing behind him to make me understand that he was pursued.
As I approached, I saw the negro was Igubo. He recognised me, and it
seemed to revive his strength. Without stopping to inquire what had
occurred, I took his arm, and assisted Timbo in hurrying him on towards
the river's bank. When he found this, he made a significant gesture
towards the Castle. "He ask for his sons," whispered Timbo. "Tell him
they are both safe, I hope, in the canoes." A gleam of satisfaction
passed over the countenance of the wounded man, and he made fresh
efforts to struggle on.

We had great reason to hurry, for ever and anon I could hear the shouts
of the savages in the woods behind us, though still they appeared to be
at some distance. Blood was flowing from Igubo's side. I fortunately
had a handkerchief, and in spite of the necessity for haste, I insisted
on stopping to bind up the wound. I was afraid that otherwise he would
bleed to death. We gained by it, indeed, for he was afterwards able to
move more rapidly, and the flow of blood appeared almost staunched. As
we approached the river I caught sight of two figures among the bushes
and tall reeds which lined the bank. Could our enemies have got ahead
of us? Presently we saw one of the figures dart out from their
concealment, and then, to my satisfaction, I recognised Leo. He and
Natty soon came running towards us. They had been on the watch, it
appeared, having grown anxious at my non-appearance. The rest of the
party were seated in the canoes. We assisted the wounded man into the
one in which David was, with the two young ladies and Jack. A place had
been left for me there also. Igubo, not seeing his boys in it, uttered
an expression of disappointment. We lifted him up, however, and showed
that they were in the other canoe. When satisfied, he submitted to have
his wounds more completely and scientifically bound up than I had been
able to do. Meantime Jack had taken the steering-oar, while Timbo and I
seized the paddles. A few hurried words from Timbo explained to Stanley
what had happened, and without further delay we shoved off from the
bank, and began to make the best of our way down the stream. Natty had
come into my canoe, while Stanley called Leo into his. Mine was the
_Gazelle_. It was the best of the two, the other having been injured by
the hippopotamus. Stanley had