Part 29 (1/2)

”The young ones ask for room; they shove and push to reach up into the air, to feel the touch of the rain, to enjoy the war trees?”

”They cry out against the young, who co their branches up from beloho crowd in upon the old people”

”And the squeaking noise?”

”That isHear thereat ones were gathered together roaring to the four co froreat herd of bulls, and in between the cries of woers Mawoh! It is then a man would hide in a hole Now it is quiet; they but whisper a they will stretch their limbs”

”Of course,” said Corow if it does not stretch? It bends this way and that, to loosen the bark, to h, so that it can bend to the blast and yet spring back straight again Telltree were bark-bound

It would die--as these old ones die s arrow”

So they talked in the night, and listened to the strange sounds that ca silence

CHAPTER XIII

THE TREE-LION

The next day they came to the end of the trail that Muata had folloith the river-round, and for alike a shadoith his nose down and his bushy tail drooping Then he stopped, and, after a look up into the face of his master, stretched himself out, as ained on us,” said Mr Hume

”They rose early and travelled fast,” said Muata ”The scent is cold, but there is the trail ht cut in the bark, from which had oozed a thick juice, now caked hard

”Son of the oman, and she made it, maybe, with a wire frouided only by the faint cuts at intervals on tree-trunks, all of which ”bled,” giving out a n failed About them were the trees in endless coluround was a tangle of undergrowth and decaying vegetation, that gave out a en The boys were uncomfortable Their skins were clauid Mr Hulad to sit down, and even Muata showed the effect of theof his skin The river-man, sullen and silent, was alone apparently unaffected; but they did not reckon hih his apathy

Muata began patiently tothing but therowth, the boys went off to sleep, from which they awoke, heavy and unrefreshed, at the cry to ”fall in”

The trail had been recovered fifty yards further on, the intervening ground having been covered apparently by the cannibals without leaving a sign Venning blundered on a little way before he discovered that he had left his bundle behind

”I'll wait for you,” said Co down on a tree-stump, while Mr Hume, who had left his position in the rear to consult with Muata, had his back turned

Venning recovered his bundle, and turned to retrace his steps, but for the tiuides, and, instead of taking the right direction, he entered a likely looking opening through the trees to the left and hurried on When he had covered a distance that should have brought him to Compton, he stopped

”Halloa! halloa!” he cried

There was no answer

”Compton! I say, no larks Where are you?”

A little in advance he heard the rustle of leaves, and went on quickly When he reached the place where the sound caether With a little laugh at his carelessness, he began to retrace his steps, but there was a proble faether, each tree see ”coo-ee” The call see in his ears very weak and quavering