d beasts."

"Ah, do ye take me for a baby, Masther Jack?" said the man,
reproachfully. "There, let it go. I'm your father's servant, and he
must have his own way; but it's cruel work this coming out into such
savage lands; and there's one man as will niver see home parts again."

When once Dinny had got an idea in his, head, to use his own words, "a
shillelagh would not knock it out;" so he remained perfectly certain
that the camp had been attacked by a lion; and he went about prophesying
that the coming night would produce two.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

HOW THE BOYS FOUND IT WAS NOT EASY TO SHOOT.

The oxen were in-spanned and the horses saddled, on as glorious a
morning as ever shone over the great African continent. The breakfast
things had been stowed away, a glance given round to see that nothing
had been left behind; the driver's and foreloper's whips cracked; and
with loud shouts of, "Trek, boys, trek!" the great waggon slowly went on
its course, every one forgetting the troubles of the disturbed night, in
the glorious sunshine and dew-glittering herbage.

Coffee and Chicory ran and bounded and spun their kiris in the air,
catching them again, and then running on beside the cantering horses of
their young masters, while their father ran beside Mr Rogers' big bay.
Above all, the dogs showed their delight by barking, yelping, and making
insane charges here and there, Rough'un's great delight being to run his
head into one or other of the holes made by the burrowing animals of the
plains, and then worrying and snapping at nothing until he was called
away.

As the waggon lumbered on, father and sons wandered off to left or
right, exploring, examining the trees and strange plants, and sometimes
bringing down some bright-plumaged bird, which was carefully laid in a
tin case carried for the purpose by the Zulu, ready to be skinned and
dressed to keep as a specimen on their return.

That they were approaching the game country was now hourly becoming
plainer, for from time to time little knots of bok could be seen upon
the hills; but when Dick or Jack eagerly drew the attention of the Zulu
to the fact, he laughed, and said it was nothing, bidding them to wait.

"We must have some venison for dinner to-day, boys," said Mr Rogers,
cantering up; "so one of you had better try your rifle. Who's it to
be?"

"Let it be Jack, father," said Dick, quietly; "my hands are not steady
yet."

"Very good," said Mr Rogers; wh