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metal-framed bed. There was also a table and a chair. Hanging on the tent-pole was a naked electric light bulb that came into flickering action when the generator was switched on, which happened around sunset.
    I sat down wearily on the bed, too tired even to pull off my clothing. In the distance I could hear two birds squabbling and the trumpeting of an elephant. These were the sounds of the wild I had so longed for. This is what the world had been like since the beginning of time—since before man had arrived on the scene, anyway.
    The sun fell out of the sky with the abrupt suddenness of the tropics and Katundi came by with a lighted hurricane lamp which he hung on the post outside my tent.
    ‘Your shower is ready now!” he told me.
    And on a rising tide of excitement, I gathered up my washing things and went off to tackle the canvas bag-full of water that he was pleased to call a shower.
    CHAPTER THREE
    I met Hugo coming back from the shower. I pulled my cotton dressing gown closer about my still damp form, feeling foolishly tongue-tied at being caught at such a disadvantage. “Can you cope with Doffnang?” he asked me.
    “If I can cope with that shower, I can cope with anything!” I assured him blithely.
    He grinned. “I’ll have you know that that shower is my handiwork!”
    I was contrite. “Perhaps when I see it by the light of day—” I began apologetically.
    “You’ll be even more shocked when you do!” he retorted. “It’s
    held together by nothing more substantial than a piece of string!”
    I sighed. “I might have guessed!” I said.
    He took a step closer to me, so that I could see his face clearly in one of the electric light bulbs that had been rigged up all round the camp. He looked very serious, and it was that that stopped me from brushing past him and going on to my tent.
    “I think it might be better if you don’t tell the others about the lions quite yet,” he said.
    “But they’re miles away!” I protested.
    “They are right now,” he said grimly.
    I felt suddenly cold and shivered. “What have you heard?” I demanded. “Are they moving?”
    “Not so far as I know,” he hedged.
    “And what does that mean?”
    He looked amused. “Blast!” he said. “I didn’t want to tell you—”
    “Obviously not!”
    He still hesitated. “There are some more lions travelling to Aruba,” he said abruptly. “They went past here today.” “How—how many?” I asked.
    “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’ll take a look in the morning and try and find out.” He put out a hand and turned my face to the light. “There’s no need to look so scared,” he said gently. “They’re a long way from here.”
    “But you’re concerned!” I managed to say.
    “It’s my job to be concerned,” he reminded me. “Everything to do with the animals in Tsavo is my concern.”
    I forced a rather weak smile. “Even the human beings?” I asked him shakily.
    He grunted. “If necessary. But I’m relying on you to keep Doffnang and his builders out of my hair as much as possible!”
    I wondered how I could possibly have imagined that I didn’t like this man. “I’ll try,” I said.
    “Good,” he returned briskly. “See you at dinner.” He walked off along the path and in the dim light I caught a glimpse of Janice Kemp’s bright hair as she came out of the shadows to meet him.
    Dinner was served out in the open. True, there was a thatched roof overhead. And true, mosquito net walls had been let down to keep out the insects that would otherwise form themselves into suicide squads, throwing themselves against the light, again and again, until they fell exhausted into a heap on the floor. But, despite the al fresco atmosphere, a freshly laundered damask cloth covered the table which was set with heavy, solid silver and cut-glass that looked oddly out of place in such a place.
    Hugo sat at the top of the table, with Janice Kemp on his right hand and me on his left. Next to me sat