"Do you know, sir, that we have not shot a thing since we entered the Congo ?" "I have no objection," said the hunter.

"And we must have a good supply of biltong before we enter the forest; but we cannot afford to take risks.

Just examine the shore for a creek, and at dusk we will run across." The boys passed the afternoon searching the south bank for signs of a creek, and in the evening the Okapi shaped her course across to a likely spot they had marked out.

But though they found a creek, it was not one that commended itself as a hiding to Mr.Hume, and it was not till after a wearisome hunt for hours in the dark that they found a channel leading through the hills which he agreed to follow up; and then, when they had entered about a mile, Muata, with his jackal, was landed to "feel" around for native paths or villages.
Muata, after a long absence, reported all safe as far as he could judge, and they tied up.

In the morning they found themselves in the thick of the woods, and pushed on down a dark and sluggish stream strewn with fallen timber, till they came to a pool in a gorge.