ound out that there is a river-horse lying in a
pool a mile up the river. I think he is a large one and will give us
good sport."

Chebron and Amuba now took their places on the two rafts; and the men,
laying down the spears and taking the poles, pushed off from the
shore. Noiselessly they made their way among the rushes. Sometimes the
channels were so narrow that the reeds almost brushed the rafts on
both sides; then they opened out into wide pools, and here the water
deepened so much that the poles could scarce touch the bottom. Not a
word was spoken, as the men had warned them that the slightest noise
would scare the hippopotami and cause them to sink to the bottom of
the pools, where they would be difficult to capture. After half an
hour's poling they reached a pool larger than any that they had
hitherto passed, and extending on one side almost to the bank of the
river.

The man on his raft now signed to Chebron to take up one of the
spears; but the lad shook his head and motioned to him to undertake
the attack, for he felt that, ignorant as he was of the habits of the
animal, it would be folly for him to engage in such an adventure. The
man nodded, for he had indeed been doubting as to the course which the
affair would take, for it needed a thrust with a very powerful arm to
drive the spear through the thick hide of the hippopotamus. Amuba
imitated Chebron's example, preferring to be a spectator instead of an
actor in this unknown sport.

For three or four minutes the boats lay motionless, then a blowing
sound was heard, and the boatman pointed to what seemed to the boys
two lumps of black mud projecting an inch or two above the water near
the margin of the rushes. They could not have believed that these
formed part of an animal but that slight ripples widening out on the
glassy water showed that there had been a movement at the spot
indicated. With a noiseless push Chebron's hunter sent the boat in
that direction, and then handed the end of the pole to Chebron,
signing to him to push the boat back when he gave the signal.

When within ten yards of the two little black patches there was a
sudden movement; they widened into an enormous head, and a huge beast
rose to his feet, startled at the discovery he had just made that men
were close at hand. In an instant the hunter hurled his spear with all
his force. Tough as was the animal's hide, the sharp head cut its way
through. With a roar the beast plunged into th