er Dick, dear? An' ah, ye never
saw such ugly little divils, widout a bit of nose to their dirty faces,
and a grin as if they were all teeth.

"`Sure I was only catching a fish for the masther's dinner, gintlemen,'
I says, when, murther! if they didn't run at me like mad, and if I
hadn't walked away I belave they'd have killed me. As it was one
cowardly villain instead of hitting me dacently on the head wid his
stick like a Christian, comes at me and bites me in the leg."

"Let's look, Dinny," said Dick, for Mr Rogers listened but did not
speak.

"Oh ye can look, Masther Dick. He tuk a pace out of me throusis, and
he'd have tuk a pace out of me leg as well, if I hadn't expostulated wid
him on the head wid me shtick. Sure I was obliged to run then or they'd
have torn me to pieces; and it's my belafe they've been using the
fishing-line ever since."

"And so you've had an interview with the natives, have you, Dinny?" said
Mr Rogers dryly.

"Ah, I wouldn't call them natives, sor," said Dinny.

"What then, baboons?" said Mr Rogers.

"Sure, sur, I don't know the name of the thribe, but they're a
dirthy-looking little lot, and as hairy as if they never shaved
themselves a bit."

"Why he's been pelted by monkeys," cried Dick, indignantly; and Jack
burst out laughing.

"Faix, Masther Dick, dear, they behaved like monkeys more than men, and
they're an ugly little thribe of natives; and if I'd had a gun I'd have
given some of them the headache, that I would."

"Ah, here's the General," cried Mr Rogers, as the great Zulu came
striding up with a bok over his shoulder.

As he entered the little camp he threw down the bok, and began to skin
it, looking about for Coffee and Chicory.

"Where are the boys?" he said at last.

"Sure they haven't come back," said Dinny; "and I hope they never will,"
he added, taking the bok to cut up and cook a portion, for Dinny's leg
was very sore and bleeding from a severe bite, and his temper was also a
little more sore from the doubt with which his story had been received.

The Zulu darted a fierce glance at him, but he did not speak. He only
walked to the waggon, where Mr Rogers was examining some of the
specimens he had killed, and said simply,--

"May I take the rifle, boss, and go and find my boys?"

"Yes, of course," exclaimed Mr Rogers.

"I'll go with you, General," cried Jack eagerly.

"But you are too tired," said his father.

"Oh, no," cried Jack. "I don't mind.