Part 6 (1/2)
”But hippopotami are not carnivorous--they're not at all dangerous, unless one wounds them, out in the water.”
”That may be; but I'm not taking chances. They've got mouths like sperm whales--I saw one take a yawn. Another thing, that bayou is chuck full of alligators, and a fellow down on the Rand told me they're like the Central American gavials for keenness to nip a swimmer.”
”They will not come out on this dry land.”
”Suppose they won't--there're no other animals in Africa but sheep, eh?”
”What can we do? The captain told me that there are both lions and leopards on this coast.”
”Nice place for them, too, around these trees,” added Blake. ”Lucky for us, they're night-birds mostly,--if that Rand fellow didn't lie.
He was a Boer, so I guess he ought to know.”
”To be sure. It's a nasty fix we're in for to-night. Could we not build some kind of a barricade?”
”With a penknife! Guess we'll roost in a tree.”
”But cannot leopards climb? It seems to me that I have heard--”
”How about lions?”
”They cannot; I'm sure of that.”
”Then we'll chance the leopards. Just stretch out here, and nurse that ankle of yours. I don't want to be lugging you all year. I'm going to hunt a likely tree.”
CHAPTER V
THE RE-ASCENT OF MAN
Afternoon was far advanced, and Winthrope was beginning to feel anxious, when at last Blake pushed out from among the close thickets. As he approached, he swung an unshapely club of green wood, pausing every few paces to test its weight and balance on a bush or k.n.o.b of dirt.
”By Jove!” called Winthrope; ”that's not half bad! You look as if you could bowl over an ox.”
Blake showed that he was flattered.
”Oh, I don't know,” he responded; ”the thing's blamed unhandy. Just the same, I guess we'll be ready for callers to-night.”
”How's that?”
”Show you later, Pat, me b'y. Now trot out some nuts. We'll feed before we move camp.”
”Miss Leslie is still sleeping.”
”Time, then, to roust her out. Hey, Miss Jenny, turn out! Time to chew.”
Miss Leslie sat up and gazed around in bewilderment.
”It's all right, Miss Genevieve,” rea.s.sured Winthrope. ”Blake has found a safe place for the night, and he wishes us to eat before we leave here.”
”Save lugging the grub,” added Blake. ”Get busy, Pat.”