d the wild, horribly human, laughter of hyenas.

Those riding outside had been instructed by Macora to keep a little in
the rear of the line of beaters; and the wisdom of this counsel was soon
made clear to Groot Willem and Hendrik. A herd of elephants broke from
the bushes, but a few yards ahead of them, and were allowed to shamble
off over the plain unmolested. They were not wanted in the trap.

Some zebras also broke from the cover soon after and they also were
permitted to escape scot free.

When not far from the termination of the drive, at that side where
Willem and Hendrik were guarding, a grand drove of buffaloes rushed into
the open ground. Fortunately the party were at some distance from the
timber at the time, and also a little to the rear of the rushing herd,
else they would have had some difficulty to escape from being run over
and trampled to death. Several of the buffaloes left the forest nearly
opposite to them, and in joining the main drove they took a course that
caused the hunters some hard riding to get out of the way of their
horns.

Immediately after the fortunate escape of the buffaloes,--fortunate for
the hunters themselves,--the eyes of Groot Willem were blest with the
sight of the objects he most desired to see. A small herd of seven or
eight giraffes, in escaping from the skirmishers, noisily advancing
among the trees, shot forth into the open ground. They were near the
funnel-shaped extremity of the trap. If once outside the fence they
would get off; and the toil of two weeks would all have been undertaken
to no purpose. Striking the spurs into the sides of his horse, Groot
Willem, followed by Hendrik, galloped forward to cut off their retreat.
Never did Willem remember a moment of more intense excitement.

Two young giraffes were seen with the herd. Were they to escape the
enclosure of the _hopo_? A few seconds would decide. The herd and the
hunters were now moving in two lines at an angle to each other, their
courses rapidly converging. This was soon observed by the timid
giraffes; and, unconscious of the danger that threatened them, they
turned and were soon within the wide and far-extended jaws of the hopo.

Had they continued in their first course only a few paces farther, they
would have been safe from the fate that awaited them; but, as man
himself often does, in seeking safety they took the direction leading to
danger.

The beaters had now reached the termination of