AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



it was not. The shenzi convention had been abated 

 with firebrands, but the dog was strictly within 

 his rights. The poor pups had had a long day with 

 little water, and they could hardly be blamed for 

 feeling a bit feverish now. At last Ben ceased. 

 Next morning Captain Duirs claimed vehemently 

 that he had drunk two hours forty-nine minutes and 

 ten seconds. With a contented sigh Ben lay down. 

 Then Ruby got up, shook herself, and yawned. A 

 bright idea struck her. She too went over and took 

 a drink. After that I, personally, went to sleep. But 

 in the morning I found Captain Duirs staring-eyed 

 and strung nearly to madness, trying feverishly to 

 calculate how seven dogs drinking on an average of 

 three hours apiece could have finished by morning. 

 When Harold Hill innocently asked if he had slept 

 well, the captain threw the remaining but now extinct 

 firebrand at him. 



One of the safari boys, a big Baganda, had twisted 

 his foot a little, and it had swelled up considerably. 

 In the morning he came to have it attended to. 

 The obvious treatment was very hot water and rest; 

 but it would never do to tell him so. The recom- 

 mendation of so simple a remedy would lose me his 

 faith. So I gave him a little dab of tick ointment 

 wrapped in a leaf. 



"This," said I, "is most wonderful medicine; but 



174 



