316 A WHOLE ARMFUL. 



After that everything went well, and the camp was reached without mishap. 

 Carl Godkin was delighted. He took the pumpkin-like creature in his arms 

 and carried it to a part of the inclosure reserved for extra company. It was 

 furnished with a supply of goats' milk, and disposed of such a quantity that it 

 almost caused consternation among the natives when they reflected that the de- 

 mand was sure to increase rapidly instead of diminish. 



" Do you know," said the director later in the evening, after supper, and when 

 he and the Texan had relighted their pipes, "that our work is almost finished?" 



"How is that?" asked Bob and Dick together. 



"We have done exceedingly well; there is but one more animal for us to 

 capture." 



"What's that?" 



"A hippopotamus; as soon as we get one or two of them, I shall pull up stakes 

 and start for Port Natal." 



"And what then?" asked Jack, the boys listening anxiously for the answer. 



" I shall find letters there from our chief, and our future movements will 

 depend on his wishes. We are in his employ, and whatever he directs, of course, 

 must be done." 



"What about the gorilla country?" asked Bob. 



" I have no doubt that a journey will be made there, but I cannot speak posi- 

 tively until after reaching Port Natal. I will say that if it is in my power to arrange 

 it I shall do so." This certainly was all the boys could ask, and their eyes 

 sparkled as they thanked the director for his promise. 



"As for the hippopotami," added Mr. Godkin, "they are around us; while you 

 were off on your hunt, Pongo and I took the best observation we could without the 

 aid of the glass, and we saw a couple over on the other side of the river. To- 

 morrow, as soon as we can make a start, we will be off on the hunt. If we succeed, 

 I shall begin preparations for the journey to the coast without delay." 



" Who will compose the party ? " asked Dick. 



"We'll take Pongo and Diedrick along; they are natives of the country and 

 know a good deal about its animals." 



" Will it be safe to leave the camp in charge of the natives alone ? " 



"I think so; I kept a sharp watch to-day, but haven't detected the first sign of 

 wild men; I am quite sure, therefore, they won't trouble us." 



" I suppose we'll make use of the raft to cross the stream." 



"Yes; we must cross to the other shore, for the indications point to the animals 

 being there. We had a stroke of luck this afternoon," added the director, " for, 

 while I was along the bank of the river, hunting for signs, a dug-out drifted by so 

 close, that with little work I secured and brought it ashore." 



" It strikes me that that's suspicious," said Jack Harvey; "leastways we would 

 believe so in our part of the world." 



" No ; I don't think there's anything to cause alarm, for the wild men have been 

 so thoroughly trounced that they ain't likely to bother us any more -" 



" What noise is that ? " interrupted the Texan. 



