tired of running after elephants which
they never caught. Macumazahn (that is, myself) was without doubt a man
of parts, and of some skill in shooting, but also he was a fool. None
but a fool would run so fast and far after elephants which it was
impossible to catch, when they kept cutting the spoor of fresh ones.
He certainly was a fool, but he must not be allowed to continue in
his folly; and he, Gobo, had determined to put a stop to it. He should
refuse to accompany him any further on so mad a hunt.

"'Yes,' the other answered, 'the poor man certainly was sick in his
head, and it was quite time that they checked his folly while they still
had a patch of skin left upon their feet. Moreover, he for his part
certainly did not like this country of Wambe's, which really was full of
ghosts. Only the last night he had heard the spooks at work--they were
out shooting, at least it sounded as though they were. It was very
queer, but perhaps their lunatic of a master----'

"'Gobo, you scoundrel!' I shouted out at this juncture, sitting bolt
upright on the blankets, 'stop idling there and make me some coffee.'

"Up sprang Gobo and his friend, and in half a moment were respectfully
skipping about in a manner that contrasted well with the lordly contempt
of their previous conversation. But all the time they were in earnest in
what they said about hunting the elephants any further, for before I had
finished my coffee they came to me in a body, and said that if I wanted
to follow those elephants I must follow them myself, for they would not
go.

"I argued with them, and affected to be much put out. The elephants were
close at hand, I said; I was sure of it; I had heard them trumpet in the
night.

"'Yes,' answered the men mysteriously, 'they too had heard things in the
night, things not nice to hear; they had heard the spooks out shooting,
and no longer would they remain in a country so vilely haunted.'

"'It was nonsense,' I replied. 'If ghosts went out shooting, surely
they would use air-guns and not black powder, and one would not hear
an air-gun. Well, if they were cowards, and would not come, of course
I could not force them to, but I would make a bargain with them. They
should follow those elephants for one half-hour more, then if we failed
to come upon them I would abandon the pursuit, and we would go straight
to Wambe, chief of the Matuku, and give him hongo.'

"To this compromise the men agreed readily. Accordingly a