e suitable place for a few days' camp, and cutting
down and piling up the thorns for a good safe kraal, whose fence would
keep marauding beasts from molesting the cattle, glasses were got out,
and the beautiful park-like plain at whose edge they were now encamped,
was scanned for game.

There was no difficulty found in supplying the big pot, and finding
pieces for a good roast; for little herds of various kinds of antelope
were often in sight, and with a fair amount of stalking one could
generally be brought down. But the great aim now was to obtain a few
ostriches, and try how they would, these wary birds refused to let them
get within shot.

"If we shoot one," said the General quietly, "I get plenty."

But the job was to shoot the first one. The General tried creeping
continually from bush to bush, out and over the plain; but either the
ostriches saw the glint of the sun upon the gun-barrel, or caught a
glimpse of his dark skin, for they were off swift as the wind, with
their legs twinkling like the spokes of a carriage wheel as they ran.

Then Mr Rogers tried again and again with the boys; but they had worse
luck than the Zulu, for they never got near enough for anything but very
doubtful long shots at many hundred yards, with the sole result of
making the birds more shy.

If they could have known where the ostriches were likely to appear, and
could have gone and lain wait, the task would have been easy; but the
birds came into sight in the most out-of-the-way places, and at the most
unexpected times, and not a plume came to be stuck up as a valuable
trophy in the waggon.

The General, clever hunter as he was, felt hurt at his ill-success, and
pointed out the reason; and that was that the few birds about them had
taken refuge here from the pursuit of hunters, having been chased most
persistently in all the country round.

"You must get an ostrich, Chicory," he said to his son in his own
language, as the boy was squatted down by his brother, who was
recovering with rapid strides.

"Chicory shoot one," said the boy.

And without a word he went to Dinny, and obtained some strips of dried
bok for provender, and then started off upon his quest.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

DRUMSTICKS AND LIONS.

Chicory came back the next day, for his brother's assegais, having lost
his own, as he said, sticking in an ostrich's back.

"Bring him back soon," he said, as he sat down and ate tremendously for
about an hour, after