erlich, I trust that there is a positively bomb-proof shelter
available? How far away is the accursed machine, Herr Schmidt? Is it
flying in the direction of M'ganga?"

"No, sir," replied the leutnant gravely. He wanted to smile, but a
display of mirth at the expense of a superior officer was not
advisable. "It has fallen at about twelve kilometres from here. Our
scouts reported that the two occupants were seen tramping through the
bush in the direction of the English bivouac four miles south of
Gwelba."

"Why did not the Askaris shoot them?" demanded Oberst von Lindenfelt.

"There were but three of our scouts and the Englishmen were armed,"
explained the German. "I would venture to suggest, Herr Oberst, that
the men did well to return immediately with their report rather than
risk being disabled in an attempt to engage the airmen."

Von Lindenfelt pondered a few moments, then he turned abruptly to
Ulrich von Gobendorff.

"I believe you understand aeroplanes, Ulrich," he said. "Did you not
fly at the great Johannesthal meeting a few years ago? I thought you
told me so. Ah! yes. You will accompany Hauptmann von Argerlich and a
half company of Askaris. If the machine is easily repairable, fly it
back here, otherwise destroy it. Until this duty is performed I
withhold my permission for you to leave the column. Start as soon as
possible. A horse will be provided you."

It was useless to demur. The oberst's word was law. Inwardly raging
von Gobendorff rose to his feet, stiffly saluted and followed the
hauptmann out of the hut in execution of von Lindenfelt's order.

CHAPTER IX

THE FIGHT FOR THE SEAPLANE

At dawn Wilmshurst left the camp, accompanied by the full platoon, to
attempt the salving of the crippled seaplane. It was a comparatively
easy matter to follow the tracks of the two airmen, for the
down-trodden grass and the frequent sights of wisps of clothing
adhering to the briars and thorns were evidences of a spoor that even
an indifferent scout could determine.

"Those two johnnies must have had a rough time of it," thought the
subaltern. "I can well imagine their difficulties. It's a wonder they
got to the camp at all, for there are distinct spoors of lions. What's
that, Bela Moshi?"

"Big rhino him come by," reported the sergeant, pointing to heavy
depression on the ground. What he meant was that a rhinoceros had cut
across the bush path not so very long ago, as the freshly