ir? He'll be back before the ammunition and a supply
column comes in."

In quick time the repairs to the seaplane were completed, and the craft
moored afloat in a wide expanse of the river. Owing to the difficult
country, where an aeroplane fitted with landing-wheels would be at a
loss to find a suitable spot to alight, a seaplane stood a better
chance, owing to the presence of several wide rivers, and here the Sea
Service machines of the Royal Air Force scored over the German
aircraft; most of which were already _hors de combat_, and could not be
replaced owing to the lack of material and the cutting off of German
East Africa from practically all communication without.

On hearing of the proposed attack upon von Lindenfelt the naval airmen,
who were rapidly recovering from the effect of their arduous and
perilous trek, volunteered to remain and co-operate. For observation
purposes and machine-gunning the Huns they would be able to render
yeoman service, while, when their offer was promptly accepted, the
ingenious officers set to work to manufacture bombs.

These missiles, rough and ready in construction, were none the less
formidable, while the moral effect was a great consideration. The
"eggs" consisted of small sacks filled with cordite, both loose and in
cartridges, while by manipulating the fuses of Mills bombs, so that the
period between release and explosion was increased to six seconds, the
improvised missiles were made to detonate just before reaching the
ground after a fall of six hundred feet.

The tempestuous shouts of the Haussas announced the arrival of the
transport column, for food was beginning to run short and the men's
rations would have had to have been reduced had not the expected stores
been speedily forthcoming. There was petrol, too, enough for a series
of flights over a distance of two hundred miles; while to the intense
satisfaction of officers and men big Jock Spofforth rejoined the
regiment, looking none the worse for his encounter with the lioness,
except for the still raw scars on his brawny arms.

"Just in time for a dust-up, I find, old man," was his reply to
Wilmshurst's greeting. "You've been lucky already, I hear? Where's
that MacGregor chap? Is he still with the battalion?"

Briefly Dudley explained what had happened.

"Skunk," muttered Spofforth. "So we've been taking a dirty Hun under
our wing, so to speak. I don't mind admitting now that I didn't think
much of the