with alarm, but in other respects far more
like himself than he had been all the day. This raised my hopes of his
recovery. I gave him a little water and a few mouthfuls of cassava; and
I was glad to find that in a short time he again dropped off to sleep.
As may be supposed, I had no inclination, after my encounter with the
lion, again to close my eyes. Should Natty be better in the morning, I
resolved to start off at an early hour in search of water. I was
therefore thankful when the cheering light of day again returned. I
gave Natty some more food, and almost the last drops of water we
possessed. I had a small drinking-cup; into this I poured the
remainder, and told him to husband it carefully.

"I must go out, Natty, and try and find some more," I said. "I will
imprison you as securely as I can, and you must try to wait patiently
till I return. I will not be absent a moment longer than I can help."

Natty looked anxiously up at me. "Is it absolutely necessary?" he
asked.

"Yes, indeed," I said; "but I hope that before long I shall find what we
want, and in a day or two you will be able to accompany me home."

"I will try to get well; but it is not my fault, Andrew. I would walk
if I could," he said, in a faint tone.

I was not content with merely closing the entrance, but getting some
strong vines, I intertwined them round the walls and then got some large
boughs, and placed them over the whole building. I trusted that thus no
animal could possibly enter. I knew that sufficient air would be
obtained through the roof. All that I could do was to pray, for his
sake and my own, that I might return in safety to him.

"Good-bye, Natty," I said, when I had finished the work. "Keep up your
spirits, my boy. I hope soon to be back; but if I do not come as
quickly as you expect, do not be alarmed. I may have to go some way for
water."

My wisest course perhaps was to have gone back to the last stream we had
passed; but then I could not have returned the same night to our hut,
and what would poor Natty have done all that time without me? I
therefore determined to push on in an opposite direction, hoping that I
might meet with a fountain or rivulet. On and on I went. The sun, as
he rose in the sky, grew hotter and hotter. I had not a drop of water
to cool my dry tongue. I had never before really known the feeling of
want of water. I had been very thirsty; but now the whole inside of my
mouth and thr