re
him with his eyes starting out of their sockets, his teeth rattling
together like a pair of castanets, his limbs quivering, and in fact his
whole person displaying symptoms of the most abject terror of which the
human frame is capable.

The major and Hicks, who stood not far from him, were both unusually
pale in the face, as they gazed motionless before them.

The fixedness of their looks directed the eyes of Tom Brown and his
comrades towards a neighbouring thicket, where they beheld an object
that was well calculated to inspire dread. It appeared to be a living
skeleton covered with a black skin of the most ghastly appearance, and
came staggering towards them like a drunken man. As it drew nearer
Jumbo's limbs trembled more and more violently and his face became of a
leaden blue colour. At last he became desperate, turned round, dashed
right through the embers of the fire, and fled wildly from the spot with
a howl that ended in a shriek of terror.

"No wonder he's terrified," observed Tom Brown to his alarmed comrades;
"I felt more than half certain the nigger was not dead last night, and
now it is beyond question that they had buried him alive. Jumbo
evidently thinks it's his ghost!"

"_Won't_ he give his friend a fright?" said Wilkins, on observing that
the poor man went staggering on in the direction of the kraal.

"He will," said Hicks, laughing; "but they'll make up for their haste by
taking good care of him now. I declare I thought for a moment or two
that it was a real ghost! Come now, gentlemen, if you want good sport
you've got the chance before you to-day. The last party that passed
this way left an old boat on the river. I dare say it won't be very
leaky. Some of you had better take it and go after the 'potimusses.
There's plenty of buffalo and elephants in this region also, and the
natives are anxious to have a dash at them along with you. Divide
yourselves as you choose, and I'll go up to make arrangements with the
old chief."

In accordance with the trader's advice the party was divided. Tom
Brown, Wilkins, and Mafuta, as on a former occasion, determined to stick
together and take to the boat. The others, under the major, went with
Hicks and the natives after elephants.

"Another capital stream," remarked Tom to his companion as they emerged
from the bushes on the banks of a broad river, the surface of which was
dotted here and there with log-like hippopotami, some of which were
f