was prepared, and half-a-dozen great hunters, armed
with throwing-spears, each entered a canoe of his own--a frail
rickety-looking affair, that threatened to turn over at any moment, even
with the weight of one man, but which its occupant sent through the
water at a famous rate, by his clever management of a long paddle.

The king's boat was none too safe a structure, and the boys laughed the
one at the other as they took their seats before their host.

"If we are overturned, Jack, make for the shore at once, and try and
save your rifle."

"To be sure, Dick. But how about the crocodiles?"

"And the hippos, Jack?"

"Feel afraid?"

"No. Do you?"

"Not a bit!"

The king seemed a little nervous about the boys' rifles when he saw the
deadly weapons in their hands, and he asked if they were safe.

"A deal safer than your boat, Mr King," said Dick, laughing.

"Yes, that they are," said Jack, giving the boat a sway to and fro.

Then the king laughed, and the boys laughed again, and distributed some
more acid-rock sticks, of which his majesty highly approved. Then he
gave the word, the rowers dipped their paddles, and six men propelled
the canoe pretty swiftly.

"I say, Dick," whispered Jack, "black kings are not such bad fellows
after all, are they?"

"Not at all. I like this one. But don't whisper; it will make him
think we are talking about him. How many cartridges have you got?"

"Twenty four. How many have you?"

"Two dozen."

The boys laughed and compared their cartridges, when the king, who had
felt suspicious of their whispering, also smiled, and took great
interest in the breech-loading guns, exhibiting quite a childish delight
in seeing the breech opened, and in being able to look right through the
shining barrels. After which he had the pleasure of thrusting in the
cartridges with his own fingers; but when they were closed he expressed
his opinion that they were not safe.

Meanwhile, after being propelled for some distance up the great river,
the canoes were turned off into a side stream of no great width, and
whose sluggish waters serpentined amidst muddy beds of reeds, with a
palm-tree raising its ornamental fronds here and there to relieve the
monotony of the scene.

The canes and reeds seemed to swarm with ducks and other water-fowl; and
here and there, riding in the calm reaches, they saw for the first time
that curious water-bird, the darter, swimming with its body nearly
submerge