shot were
already here."

In another five minutes, with the dots in different parts around growing
plainer, Dyke was back by the eland, and hobbling his horse's forefeet,
he loosened the girths again with almost angry energy; then unstrapping
the bit, left the cob to crop such green shoots as it could find.

As the boy performed these acts, he could not help stealing a glance
here and there; and then standing on the eland, so as to raise himself a
little, he shaded his eyes and carefully swept the plain.

He could see distant patches, which he made out to be herds, gradually
growing fainter, and several more dots in the sky, but no sign of danger
in the shape of lions; but he derived very little comfort from that, for
he knew well enough that the tawny-hided creatures would approach in
their crawling, cat-like fashion, and a dozen might be even then hidden
behind the bushes, or flattened down in the sand, or dry, shrubby
growth, with which their coats so assimilated as to make them invisible
to the most practised eye.

Dyke's teeth were pressed so hard together that they emitted a peculiar
grinding sound with the exertion as he leaped down, and the dog looked
up in a puzzled way, and uttered an uneasy bark.

Dyke started. The dog must scent danger, he thought, and the next
glance was at Breezy, whose instinct would endorse the dog's knowledge;
but the cob was blowing the insects off the tender shoots at every
breath, and browsing contentedly enough.

It was fancy. The great, foul birds were coming nearer, but Dyke knew
that he could keep a thousand of them away by flourishing his empty gun.

Then a sudden thought occurred to him, and he turned excitedly to the
dog, taking off his canvas pouch the while, and shaking it.

"Hi, Duke! Hey there, good old boy! Lost--lost! Seek them! Good dog,
then! Seek--seek! Lost!"

The dog barked excitedly, sniffed at the pouch, looked up at his master,
whined and barked, sniffed again at the pouch, and finally, in answer to
Dyke's shouts and gestures, took another sharp sniff at the canvas, and
bounded away, head down, and following the track made by the eland, the
horses, and his own feet.

"What an idiot I was not to think of that before!" said the boy to
himself. "He'll find it, as sure as sure."

Then he gave another glance round, to stand repentant as he followed the
figure of the retiring dog, and felt ready to call it back, for he was
increasing the terrible