one tremendous blow. Seizing my rifle, and throwing myself on my knee,
I took a steady aim, and the ball entered the cheetah's head. It sprang
up, dragging its prey with it, but instantly sank down, and rolled over
dead. Natty sprang to his feet at the report. The cheetah had settled
the question whether the buck should die, for the poor creature was so
mangled, though not killed outright, that we saw it would be a mercy to
put it out of its sufferings. This we immediately did. Its more
fortunate companion had escaped into the open ground.

We lost no time in cutting up our prize, for the meat we had brought
with us was already scarcely fit to eat, and we both confessed to
feeling very hungry again.

"We may as well light a fire and cook it," I said. "We must take care,
however, not to set the wood in a blaze."

There was ample fuel about, and choosing a spot where the grass was
green, and did not readily burn, we piled up the sticks we collected. I
had a tinder-box and matches in my wallet, and thus we soon had a good
fire burning. In a short time we had some pieces of venison roasting in
woodland fashion on forked sticks before the fire.

Having selected the best parts of the venison, and wrapped them up in
leaves to carry with us, we recommenced our meal on the portion we had
cooked. The salt we had purchased a few days before was now
particularly acceptable, and we both had meat, we hoped, sufficient to
sustain us for many hours. Now greatly refreshed, we prepared to
proceed on our journey. We first put out the fire, however, that there
might be no risk of setting the forest in a blaze.

"We must leave the cheetah and the rest of the deer to the birds and
beasts of prey which are sure to visit it before long," I observed.
"And now, Natty, let us be off."

Scarcely had I uttered the words when he touched my arm. "Stay," he
said; "I am sure I heard voices in the distance."

We listened. There could be no doubt of it. The sounds drew nearer.
The tones were very similar to those we had heard during our stay at the
village.

"They must be our late friends come to look after us," I observed. "If
we are discovered, we will put a good face on the matter."

"Would it not be better to go and meet them at once, and present them
with the game we have killed?" said Natty.

I agreed with him; and peering out from our shelter, I recognised the
chief and his son, with a band of followers. Loading ourselv