lmost dangerous at times, but the two Zulu
boys made nothing of it, and were soon approaching the spot where the
bird had fallen.

As it saw them approach, it left off flapping its wings, turned itself
upon its back, and struck at them savagely with its powerful talons.

The boys were not daunted though, and making a dash in, Coffee struck at
the bird and missed it, receiving, in return for his intended blow, an
ugly scratch from the eagle, which was about to bury its beak in his leg
when Chicory's kiri struck it heavily upon the neck, and the fight was
over; the bird's head dropping upon one side, and its powers of doing
mischief for ever gone.

Then each seized a wing, and they bore it in triumph to their young
leaders, who in turn helped to carry the majestic bird down to where Mr
Rogers was waiting, ready to take great interest in their prize, but
also eager to hurry them back to the waggon, where they arrived to find
all right, and the cattle carefully secured in their kraal.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

DINNY IN "THROUBLE" AGAIN.

"An' if there was one there was over a thousand of thim, sor," cried
Dinny, a day or two later, when he had been out with Peter to bring back
a strayed ox. "Ye niver see such savage little men in yer loife, sor.
They came at us shouting bad language, and calling us all the blayguards
they could lay their tongues to; and then one avil-looking owld
reprobate ups wid a shtone and throws it at me. That was jist what the
others wanted--a bad patthern, sor--and they began shying shtones as
hard as they could, till Pater and me was obliged to re-threat."

"And you ran away, Dinny?" said Dick; "you let the baboons drive you
back?"

"The which, sor?"

"The baboons, Dinny; the apes."

"Ah, ye can call 'em by that name, Masther Dick, if ye loike; I calls
'em little stumpy men, and as ugly as anything I iver see."

"Well, we shall have to go and pepper them," said Jack. "Let's go and
tell father, Dick."

"Shure, ye may pepper and salt 'em too, Masther Jack," said Dinny,
grinning, "but ye'll niver make anything of 'em but the toughest mate ye
iver saw in yer loives."

"Ah, well, Dinny, we'll see," said Jack; and the two boys went and told
Mr Rogers of Dinny and Peter having been attacked by a troop of
baboons, that were close up to the camp amongst the rocks.

"How much of it is exaggeration?" said Mr Rogers, who was busy filling
out some choice bird-skins, the bright plumed coveri