the side of his friend's hammock, he had the
satisfaction of knowing that the crisis was past and Phil would live.

Up to this moment the young doctor had been far too busy and altogether
too deeply preoccupied in attending upon his patient to give any
attention to, or indeed be more than vaguely aware of, what was
happening outside the tent, although there certainly had been moments
when sounds of a more than usually alarming character had reached his
ears so distinctly and obtrusively as partially to distract his
attention for the fraction of a second or so; but now that Grosvenor was
asleep and safe, and Dick began to feel that he also would be the better
for a little rest, outside sounds began to obtrude themselves upon him
with a force and persistency that would not be denied, and he awoke to a
consciousness of the fact that something quite out of his ordinary
experience was happening.

At first he was disposed to attribute the babel of sound that reached
his ears to the fact that the party were outspanned in close--almost too
close--proximity to the only water that, so far as he knew, existed for
many miles round, and which was consequently the regular drinking place
for every living creature in the neighbourhood, as he and his chum had
already ascertained. Indeed the incessant bellowing, snorting,
trumpeting, roaring, splashing, and squealing that, slightly mellowed by
distance, penetrated to the interior of the tent, was quite enough to
justify such an idea. But he had scarcely settled himself in his chair
beside Grosvenor's hammock, and closed his eyes in the hope of wooing
sleep to them, than he became aware of other and nearer sounds,
dominating the first, the sound of crackling flames, frequent low,
muttered ejaculations, the occasional soft thud and swish of feet
running through long grass, followed by a shout or two which was almost
invariably responded to by a low, angry snarl, while the clashing of
horns, the rattling of the trek chain, the almost continuous lowing and
moaning of the oxen, the stamping of the horses tethered to the wagon,
and the whining of the dogs, indicated the extreme restlessness and
uneasiness of the animals. The disturbance was so much greater than
usual that Dick finally felt called upon to investigate. So, rising
from his chair, he cast a quick glance at his patient which assured him
that all was well there, and then, raising the flap of the tent, stepped
forth into the op