Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/292

 Bim sped on to his quarters, and Zack laughed.

"Huh! Mister Bim sho' is steppin' high. He feels powerful good."

The fact is that El Bimbashi McDonald did feel good, and wanted to reward everybody—which led to his fatal meddling. He had barely passed out of view before Said the Dongalawi—meek-eyed man of experience—reported to Zack that the two hippos previously slain by El Bimbashi had risen and were floating down the river. At first Zack didn't rightly grasp the importance of this calamity. But he soon found out.

Even as Zack stood ready to dish up one hundred and fifteen portions of fried fish—even as Said was drying out his net for another successful day—even at that moment of triumph, some evil Jinn sent Fudl running to the Bimbashi with tidings that his hippos were in sight. McDonald hurried towards the river; it was true. Two huge black bodies, puffed up like balloons, were drifting close inshore. An inspiration seized Mr. Bim. He would prove the white man's generosity—he would feed the multitude.

"Hey, there," his voice rang out, and Zack heard it clearly. "Hey there!" McDonald waved his hands to the idle negroes, "Catch those hippos," he pointed; "they're yours." The simplicity of this suggestion needed no interpreter; one long, shrill cry uprose from a lanky