452 ON THE EDGE OF THE POOL. 



" The understanding had better be," added Jack, " that whenever any one of us 

 hears a gun go off, he is to make all haste to that point ; not because help may be 

 needed to escape danger, but to gather in the beast, whatever it may be." 



"That is, if I run against a big male gorilla and shoot him, you will know that 

 you and the natives are wanted at once." 



" Of course ; we can't capture one of those six-foot chaps any more than we 

 could capture an African buffalo or an East India tiger ; but, wherever we may 

 find the male, the female is pretty apt to be in the neighborhood, and, if she has a 

 young one with her, the job of managing the two will be too big for any one of us." 



" You are talking sense ; let us be sure that Gyp and Hargo catch on." 



It was easy to make them comprehend, and, since the two tired ones were pretty 

 well rested by this time, Bob suggested that the hunt be resumed. 



But, at the moment he moved to rise from the fallen tree, Gyp held up his hand 

 and uttered a warning " Sh ! " which caused the others to look silently at him 

 and listen. 



Without speaking, the native pointed with his finger to the left of the pool, 

 which, you will remember, was partly in view of the hunters. 



It was at this juncture that all caught a faint rustling of the undergrowth, such 

 as might have been made by the stealthy passage of a bird among the vegetation. 

 Faint as it was, the hunters were able to locate it without the guidance of the dusky 

 finger, which continued for several seconds to point at the spot. 



Suddenly every heart stood still, for they saw dimly, through th. enveloping 

 bushes, vines and leaves, a gigantic figure moving toward the pool. Ks back was 

 bent forward and its short legs doubled under the immense hairy body, while the 

 long, dusky arms reached to the ground, the hands being partly used to help in 

 locomotion. 



" It's a gorilla, sure enough ! " whispered Bob, turning pale with excitement 



Jack raised his hand warningly, but did not speak. 



As the six-foot terror approached the pool, he came into plainer view and was 

 so nigh that the least noise on the part of any one of the party would have alarmed 

 him. Bob made a motion as if to raise his rifle and looked inquiringly at Jack. The 

 Texan shook his head: the time had not arrived for shooting. He wished to wait 

 and see whether the mother and perhaps her offspring did not show themselves. 



At the moment the gorilla reached the edge of the water, the hunters became 

 aware of a fact unknown till then. 



On the edge of the pool lay an enormous crocodile, with his long, corrugated 

 head and snout resting on the bank and his body in the stagnant water. His size 

 was revealed by several protuberances of his spine, showing here and there above 

 the surface, while, seemingly twenty feet beyond, the water was agitated by an oc- 

 casional motion of his tail. 



It was evident that the two had seen each other while some distance separated 

 them. Indeed, it looked as if the gorilla had come forth with the purpose pf raisine a 

 rumpus with the saurian. 



