"Sure, sar!" grinned the big Liberian cheerfully. "John him be beri careful. Bring back safe!"
"All right. Get your stuff ready then. You can take my big rifle yourself." As John went off with a wider grin than ever Mr. Wallace turned to the boys. "I want you two to promise me that whatever happens you'll obey John and do just as he tells you."
"All right, sir," replied Critch at once.
"So'll I," agreed Burt. "Five miles in this country won't be any joke, though!"
"It'll take a good day right enough," nodded Mr. Wallace. "John is pretty safe to be with and he'll take as good care of you as I would. If you find the giraffes don't bring down more than two. You might run across some zebra in the same country and if you do, you can get some of 'em too. But I guess there's not much danger of that, without horses.
"Now remember to obey John in everything. He'll be in my place for the day. Better fill your canteens with cold coffee before you go and take your heavy rifles. Let John have your compass, Burt. If you run across any waterbuck bring in a couple for the men. It'll be a good change of diet. Now get to sleep, for you'll be up before day."
After laying out a supply of heavy cartridges and some fresh clothes for the morning the boys tumbled into their sleeping bags on top of their cots. Each leg of the cots was placed in a dish of water to keep off ants and other crawling creatures which might wander in. Critch was half asleep when he heard Burt's voice.
"Oh, Critch! Remember what Cap'n Mac looked like coming across that swamp?"
"Shut up! I don't want to dream about it."
"I was just thinkin' that we'll stick pretty close to John to-morrow, eh?"