Niger

of either shepherds or lions. Mungo urged forward
his horse, calling out to his late companions : so
calling, his eyes fell on one of the shepherds, lying
in the long grass by the side of the road. Mungo
imagined him dead, but when he had ridden
nearer, was startled when the corpse raised his head
and whispered that the track was infested with
armed men. His companion had been seized and
arrows fired at himself as he escaped.
Mungo looked about him. At a little distance
an armed black sat on the stump of a tree, regarding
him unpleasantly. The heads of six or seven more
appeared above the tall grass. The shepherd,
recumbent on the ground, evidently escaped their
attention. Mungo did not. He rode towards them,
blandly, and inquired if they were elephant-
hunters ; and had they had a good bag ?
Without returning an answer to this flippancy,
one of the blacks commanded him to dismount ;
then, changing his mind, waved a hand for Mungo
to proceed on his way. So he did, thankfully ; but
had gone but a little way when he heard a loud hail
behind him. The elephant-hunters were running
in his tracks, commanding him to halt.
There was nothing else for it. Up came the
blacks, and, having concocted the tale to suit the
occasion, informed him that they had been sent by
the king to seize him and convey him to Foola-
doo.
Mungo shrugged and went with them. The
forest grew thicker. Here the sun fell hardly at
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