al, and looking upon the interior as
a land of mystery and romance, they readily backed up the proposal to go
farther.

"Well, my boys, I hardly know what to say," replied Mr Rogers. "I want
for you both to grow sturdy, manly, and inured to danger; but I scarcely
like running the risk of taking you where we may be constantly
encountering the lion, the rhinoceros, and the elephant and
hippopotamus."

"But we shall be very careful," said Jack.

"And we are growing better marksmen every day, father," exclaimed Dick.

"Yes, my boys, I dare say you are," replied Mr Rogers. "But please
remember that taking aim at and shooting a timid deer is one thing;
standing face to face with some fierce beast ready to take your life,
quite another."

"Oh, yes, father, I know that," said Jack; "and I dare say I should be
horribly frightened, but I wouldn't run away."

"It might be wiser to do so than to provoke the animal by firing," said
Mr Rogers, smiling. "What do you say, Dick?"

"I say I should like to go on, father, in spite of the risk," replied
Dick. "Now we have come so far, I want to see more of the wonderful
Central African land, and I should like to shoot a lion, an elephant, a
rhinoceros, and a hippopotamus."

"And a giraffe, a crocodile, and a boa-constrictor," said Jack.

"And would you both like to make that bag in one day, young gentlemen?"
said Mr Rogers, smiling.

"Ah, now you are laughing at us, father," said Dick. "Of course we
don't expect to shoot all those creatures, but we should like to try."

"Yes," added Jack; "that's it, Dick. We should like to try."

"Then you shall try," said Mr Rogers, quietly; "on condition, mind,
that you will neither of you do anything rash, but follow out either my
advice or that of the General, whom I feel disposed to trust more and
more."

The country seemed to grow more romantic and grand the farther they
trekked on away from civilisation, and they travelled now very few
hundred yards without seeing something new and full of interest. Game
was so abundant that there was no difficulty in keeping up a plentiful
supply. Dinny even threatened to lose the frying-pan, for, as he said,
he was frying steak morning, noon, and night; but as he loved dearly to
fry one particularly juicy piece always for a gentleman named Dinny,
there was not much fear of his keeping his word.

But somehow Dinny did not add to the harmony of the expedition. He
proved himself again and a