t could be prevented, Rough'un
seized it behind the head, worrying it furiously.

Fortunately the creature was mortally wounded, or it might have gone
hard with one of the dogs, its poison being very violent; and the others
coming up soon tore it to pieces.

"Your horses behaved admirably," said Mr Rogers. "You must train them,
my boys, so that they will stand where you leave them, and take no more
notice of a shot fired over their heads than at a distance."

They halted directly after for a midday meal, the oxen finding a
plentiful supply of fresh grass and water, and after a good rest they
were once more on the way, the horses behind under the care of Dinny and
the Zulu warrior.

Mr Rogers and his sons were close to the oxen, Coffee and Chicory were
close behind, and they were inspecting the team, which was pulling
steadily and well, when Mr Rogers said,--

"Well, boys, we may as well get our guns. We shall soon be in the
hunting country now."

"Hi! Yup-yup-yup!" shouted Coffee.

"Ho! Yup-yup-yup!" yelled Chicory. The dogs began to yelp and bark;
and in the excitement, as they saw an animal like a great long-eared
spotted cat dash out of a clump of trees and make for some rocky ground,
all joined in the chase; Mr Rogers ran as hard as the rest, forcing his
pith hunting-helmet down over his head. Coffee got well in front,
waving his arms and shouting; but Chicory trod upon a thorn and began to
limp. As for Jack, in his excitement he tripped over a stump, and fell
sprawling; while Dick had hard work to save himself from a similar
mishap. Last of all, whip in hand, came the foreloper, who had left the
oxen in his excitement, flourishing and cracking his lash.

There was a sharp hunt for a few minutes, during which the followers
toiled on over the rocky ground, seeing nothing after their first
glimpse of the lynx--for such Mr Rogers declared it to be; then they
met the dogs coming back, looking very stupid, and quite at fault.

Rough'un, however, went on with Coffee, and Jack followed, to find that
the lynx had evidently gone down a deep rift, where it was impossible to
follow it; so they went back to the waggons, both Jack and his father
determining that in future they would never be without either gun or
rifle in hand.

Every minute, almost, as they journeyed on, the boys realised the value
of having the waggon made in the best manner, and of the strongest wood
that could be obtained, for it bumped a