diles crawl about; but when I pray it rise up just like a bird
wid de big wings, and fly up, up, up into de blue sky."

I thanked Timbo warmly for his regard, but still more for the prayers he
had offered up; and I felt as sure as he did that they had not been
disregarded. My father's exhortation, I am glad to say, often came back
to my mind. It was very delightful lying there in the shade, with the
beautiful landscape and its countless numbers of inhabitants, and
listening to Kate reading the Bible, in which we often came to passages,
some peculiarly applicable to our position--so it appeared to me--others
describing the wonders of God's works which we saw displayed before us,
and his love and mercy to man.

In a few days I had so much recovered that my friends insisted on
carrying me down to take an excursion on the lake. The day was cool,
for a fresh breeze played over the water. Leo and Natty begged to have
the pleasure of paddling me.

"And we will go too, shall we not?" cried Bella to her sister. I was
glad to find that Kate consented.

"And I must go to look after you," said David, "and Timbo will stay at
home to take care of the house."

"Very well, if I go as captain," said Jack; "but I cannot let you go and
run your noses into the mouth of a hippopotamus or alligator, either of
which, I have a notion, you would be likely to do."

Stanley and the two black boys had gone off in the _Giraffe_, as he
wished to shoot. I wished to walk down, but found, on attempting it,
that I could not; indeed, I had become so thin that I was no great
weight for my friends to carry. As soon as we had taken our places in
the canoe, we shoved off. I was able to sit up and enjoy the scenery.
To the west rose the lofty hills on the side of which our village was
placed, for so I think I must call it, while on the left were woods with
fine trees, and here and there a break through which the broad prairie
could be seen extending as far as the eye could reach towards the south.
We got glimpses of numerous animals moving in and about the woods, and
some scampering over the plain. It was already late in the day when we
embarked. As the weather was fine and the lake perfectly calm, we
paddled down the centre to enjoy the greater purity of the air, away
from the banks. The trip was so enjoyable that we were tempted to go
further, perhaps, than was prudent. At length, unwillingly, David
begged Jack to turn the canoe's head hom