nly Nell, Mea, and little Nasibu. Above all he
understood that a lack of water would disperse the caravan at once, and
for that reason he inquired so eagerly about the river. Going along its
course, they really might avoid those horrors to which travelers in
waterless regions are exposed.

But the Samburus could not tell him anything definite; he himself could
not make any longer explorations of the eastern shore of the lake, for
other employment kept him at Boko. He reckoned that in all probability
none of the kites that he flew from Mount Linde and from the negro
villages had crossed the chain of mountains surrounding Bassa-Narok.
For this reason it was necessary to make and fly new ones, for these
the wind could now carry across the flat desert far away--perhaps as
far as the ocean. Now this work he had to supervise personally. For
though Nell could glue them perfectly, and Kali had learned how to fly
them, neither of them were able to inscribe on them all that it was
necessary to write. Stas regarded this as a matter of great importance
which it was not allowable to neglect.

So this labor occupied so much of his time that the caravan was not
ready for the journey until three weeks had elapsed. But on the eve of
the day on which they were to start at daybreak the young King of the
Wahimas appeared before Stas and, bowing profoundly, said:

"Kali goes with the master and the 'bibi' as far as the water on which
great pirogues of the white people float."

Stas was touched by this proof of attachment; nevertheless, he thought
that he had no right to take the boy with him upon such an immense
journey, a return from which might be uncertain.

"Why do you want to go with us?" he asked.

"Kali loves the great master and the 'bibi'."

Stas placed the palm of his hand on Kali's woolly head.

"I know, Kali, that you are an honest and good boy. But what will
become of your kingdom and who will govern the Wahimas in your place?"

"M'Tana, brother of Kali's mother."

Stas knew that strife for rulership raged among the negroes and power
lured them the same as the white people; so he pondered for a while and
said:

"No, Kali. I cannot take you with me. You must remain with the Wahimas
in order to make good people of them."

"Kali will return to them."

"M'Tana has many sons-- Well, what will happen if he himself should
desire to become king and leave the kingdom to his sons, and should
induce the Wahimas to expel yo