The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 07

a well-known canteen in the town, engaged in earnest conversation. The two men had long glasses of cooling drinks in front of them, and looked thoroughly comfortable. Antonio Mi

e Trek Boers, and, having opened a general store, managed to extract from these farmers and hunters of the wilderness a good deal of profit. Karl Engelbrecht was one of his best customers, and the two had

k a pull at his gin tonic and lit a

" asked the Boer, in hi

ommunication through my bedroom wall, and by this means have overheard a good deal, as Blakeney has been in the habit of chatting with the boys before they went to bed each evening. Thanks to the two dear cubs, whose thirst for information is

laugh. "Poeskop owes me for a good many rubs. Perhaps I may find means to make him rep

Do you remember a man named Hardcastle, an English mini

took on that scoundrel Poeskop aft

eral discovery, even in the six years I have been out here. But look at this case! This man, Blakeney, whatever we may think of him"--a snort and an opprobrious expression from Karl Engelbrecht here interrupted the Portuguese's remarks--"whatever we may think of him," he went on, "and I know your opinion is not a flattering one, is no fool. Blakeney, I say, has come o

t out of him--a matter easy enough away out on the veldt--and rake in the plunder. There

ow very well, is as cunning a little piece of vermin as ever crawled on two legs. He'll not be easily squeezed or caught either. I've had my eye on Poeskop for a long time, thinking to make use of him; and I sho

nce, had acquired a good deal of respect for the crafty and resourceful mind of his Portuguese ally; he recognized that the

here the treasure is. If, as I hope and firmly believe, there is gold where they are making for, let us wait. Let us shadow them in their wanderings, and when they have laid hands upon the trea

took a handful of Boer tobacco and filled his pipe. A hideous grin expan

the Boer burst into a shout of laughter. "Ah!" he said, "I have two long accounts to settle; one with that schepsel Poeskop, the other with this Englishman. I shall not rest content, day or night, till I am even

change. I have been too long in Mossamedes, and I will come with you myself. We can take a wagon with a light load of trading stuff, and do some business. I have

t, Stuurman, is a capital fellow for a business like this. I will pack him off on a horse to-day with some provisions. He can follow the party up, and let us know their movemen

nd I'll load up two or three thousand pounds weight of trading stuff. We must leave room for our kartels. Now, let us

some kind of a track, but it lay through wild ravines littered with boulders and overgrown with thorn bush and low timber, and it

down to an excellent breakfast of klipspringer chops and fry--Tom had shot one of these little mountain buck on the previous day--with keen appetites. Good coffee and a tin of marmalade rounded off an ample meal. Each of them had a little squat wagon chair, such as the Bo

we shall. It looks all over like a game veldt. We may see giraffe, buffalo, eland, blue wildebeest, roan antelope, zebra, lion, leopard, and wart-hog at any time. It's beautiful veldt. It remi

giraffe-acacia lay before them. Beyond this stretched a vast plain of grass, here and there dotted with a clump or two of trees or a patch of bush. Through the centre of this

imed Tom enthusiastically. "Fath

e a leather case, from which he drew one of Ross's telescopes. Seating

cried. "I can see clumps here and there.

glass, and indulged

and Burchell's zebra 'bonte quacha,' which latter means 'striped quacha.' Quacha, by the way, is an old Hottentot word, taken from the neighing call of the animal, which has been corrupted to our English quagga. Well, now, I think I see some other kinds of game, probably eland, hartebeest, or tsesseby--what the Boers call bastard hartebeest--and, I fancy, ostriches. We'll trek i

e Bushman

d, his eyes twinkl

you very well. And mind, if we find kameel [giraffe] you are not to shoot; at all events, until the young baases have each had a f

ve been out since sun-up in the forest yonder,

uy. "Now let's sad

r bandoliers, fastened their spurs, took down their rifl

nd they are yours. Ride right up to the stern of the beasts and put in your shots as you gallop, as near as possible to the root of the tail. Your bullets will penetrate the giraffe's short body, and you'll bring him down. You, Guy, take the biggest one of the troop. Follow him as hard as you can split, and stick to him till you get him. Blinkbonny, your p

air as they shot past. Numbers of guinea-fowl were to be seen moving hither and thither, busily engaged in digging up the bulbs on which they feed. An hour had passed. They had sighted koodoo, and let them go unscathed, hoping for heavier game. Some tracks of buffalo had been crossed. But they were now hot upon the spoor of a good troop of giraffe. The boys noted with the keenest interest the

, he glared intently. His audience stared hard, and saw nothing stir for a full half-minute. Then somet

species, stood a troop of more than twenty tall giraffes. Most of the animals were browsing contentedly at the green leafage; some few stood with necks stretched out at an angle of forty-five degrees, quietly chewing the cud and apparently half asleep. The troop varied much in colour. A huge, old, mahogany-colour

ong the startled giraffe, and then the troop, having swung round their heads and noted the danger that menaced them, strode off at a curious, gliding shuffle. The hunters cante

Mr. Blakeney excitedly, "or

essing his good pony yet more, he galloped faster than the flying giants. The troop swung across an open glade, and, as they strode along like tall, dappled spectres, it seemed to Guy that he must surely be gazing upon some long-forgotten pageant of the earth's primeval past. These extraordinary creatures could surely scarce belong to this modern world! The whole thing seemed almost unreal. Still he galloped on, and

afety of his own skin. The smooth, long, shuffling walk had been long since exchanged for a strange rocking gallop, in which the hind legs were straddled widely, and the long neck swung up and down in a rhythmic motion, which reminded Guy of a gigantic pendulum. Meanwhile the long black tail, screwed oddly up, was executing wild and fantastic flourishes. The chase swept headlong over the pale yellow grass plain. A mile and more had been accomplished since they quitted the timber. The great bull was running well, but Guy noted with a sense of exultation that he was now no more than eighty yards ahead. Another mile slipped by. The bull was tiring; he was now no more than sixty yards ahead. Guy shook up his pony and gave him just one firm touch of the spur. The gallant beast answered by a wonderful and prolonged spurt, which carried his rider to within twenty yards of tha

twelve giraffes. In a matter of a hundred yards Tom was right up behind a big cow. He fired, and the cow, turning away from her fellows, stood. Tom jumped off and finished her. Meanwhile Mr. Blakeney, having seen Tom bring his chase to a stands

the mighty proportions of the creature. His fingers could make no impression on the thick, tense skin of the back and ribs and n

finest camel of the troop. A tremendous old

s carefully and sci

," said Mr. Blakeney. "You seldom hear of a better. Only once or twice in five y