Page 149 - Adventures in Africa

those fellows come back— and they're pretty sure to

find water."
I did not like to say that I was not quite certain on
that subject I had hopes, however, that even should

they have failed to find it, we should not perish, as I
trusted before long* wTe might have a shower of rain,

although none had as yet fallen from the cloudy sky.
Some venison which I had put close to the fire was by
this time cooked, but it was with the greatest difficulty

that we could get down even a few mouthfuls.
“ I cannot eat another morsel/' cried Harry, putting

down his knife, If those fellows don't arrive soom
dark as it is, I must set off by myself to try and find
water; depend upon it> there is some not far off, or

that lion would not come here/' and he threw himself,
utterly overcome, on the ground.
I tried to cheer him up, and made another attempt

to eat some venison, but had to give it up after
nibbling at a piece; yet I felt that I could have swal­
lowed a hearty meal, if I could have obtained a

draught of water, however tepid and full of insects it
might have been.

W e were sitting a short distance from the fire with
our rifles in our hands, prepared for the reception of
the lion, should he venture to invade our camp, when

Harry exclaimed, u Hark ! I hear footsteps: they must
be those of Hans and your black fellow.”

W e listened ; and I hoped that Harry was right.
“ Let us shout! ” I exclaimed.
W e both together raised our voices. Our hail was

answered from a distance. The night air had brought
the sound of footsteps much further than I should have