couple of men. Canter round
yonder and see if you can make anything out. Scout. Perhaps the brutes
can see the Boers advancing."

In another minute we were cantering round the ragged outskirts of the
great pile of stones, where they came right down to the plain, among
which were plenty of grassy and verdant patches, little gorges and paths
up amongst the tumbled-together blocks; and as we rode along we startled
apes by the dozen from where they were feeding, and sent them shrieking
and chattering menacingly, as they rushed up to the higher parts.

It was away at the extreme end where the main body of the
curious-looking, half-dog, half-human creatures were gathered, all in
motion, and evidently much exercised by something below them on the side
farthest from where we approached.

"They're playing some game, Mr Moray," said the Sergeant, speaking
quite respectfully to me, and, as I thought, slightly emphasising the
"Mister," which sounded strange. "Tell you what it is: one of the young
ones has tumbled into a gully and broken his pretty little self."

"Give the order to unsling rifles, Sergeant," I said quietly, "and
approach with caution."

"Eh? What! You don't think there's an ambuscade--do you?"

"No," I said as I watched the actions of the apes keenly; "but I do
think there's a lion lying up somewhere."

"A lion!"

"Yes; one of the brutes that were feeding on the dead horses in the
night. He has made for the shelter yonder, and is in hiding."

"And the monkeys have found him, and are mobbing the beggar now he's
sleeping off his supper?"

"That's it, I think," I replied.

"Then let's get his skin if we can. Steady, all, and don't fire till
you get a good chance."

We checked our horses so as to approach at a walk, the Sergeant sending
me off a few yards to his left, and the other men opening out to the
right.

I fully expected to see the baboons go scurrying off as we approached;
but, on the contrary, they grew more excited as, with rifle ready and
Sandho's rein upon his neck, I picked my way alongside the others in and
out among the great blocks of stone at the foot of the kopje, where
there was ample space for a couple of score of lions to conceal
themselves. But I felt sure that as soon as we came near enough, and
after sneaking cautiously along for some distance, the one we sought
would suddenly break cover and bound off away across the veldt.

Wherever I came to a bare patch of the sand