at me that I feel ashamed
of having killed it. You must shoot one a-piece I suppose, but after
that let's get to the savage animals again. One feels to have done a
good deed in ridding the country of one of those brutes. Did you both
kill yours?"

"No, father," they cried in chorus; and after helping to cut off the
marrow-bones of the great beast to carry home, for a roast, the marrow
being esteemed a delicacy; the heavy skin was mounted before Mr Rogers,
and a couple of marrow-bones a-piece proving a load, they rode slowly
for the camp, Mr Rogers listening to the account of his boys' mishaps,
both showing traces of having been in the wars.

Evening was coming on fast, and their progress was necessarily slow; but
it was not until it had turned quite dark, that the fact became evident
that they had lost their way out there on that great wild.

They drew rein and looked around, but not a single familiar landmark was
in sight. On the contrary, all loomed up strange and peculiar.

To have gone on meant only wearying themselves in vain, and perhaps an
unpleasant encounter with lions; so they made straight for the nearest
patch of wood, secured their horses, and rapidly hacked off and
collected enough wood for a fire, to do duty in a threefold way--giving
them warmth, safety from prowling beasts, and cooking the huge
marrow-bones, which were soon set down to roast, and formed, with the
biscuits they carried, no despicable meal.

Such nights passed by a blazing fire on the edge of a wood sound very
romantic, but they lose their attraction when tried. Hot as Africa is
by day, icy winds often blow by night, and they will freeze the hunter
inside the shelter of a tent; the coolness then of a night without
shelter can be understood. The fire burnt one side, but, as Jack said,
without you made the fire all round you, it was no good, and that they
could not do.

No one felt disposed to sleep, so they sat and warmed themselves as best
they could, drawing the great giraffe skin round them for warmth. Then
they talked till they were weary, and afterwards got up to pat and
comfort their horses.

It was very wearisome that night, but free from adventure; and the
moment it was light they mounted and rode to the nearest eminence, from
which they made out land-marks which enabled them to find their way back
to camp, where the General and his two boys were missing, having gone
out, as they said in their trouble, because Mr Ro