owth of dwarf acacia
and tangled creepers. It seemed impossible to pass, but at length,
after long search, the dry bed of a stream was found, up which there
seemed a chance of progressing. Slowly and with much difficulty they
made their way on; sometimes crawling on hands and knees, dragging their
rifles after them, and winning patiently yard by yard; at others fairly
stopped by masses of rock, and forced to cut their way through the spiky
branches of the mimosa, bound together with the wild vines and creeping
cane-like plants. For fully half a mile did the two thus work their way
onwards, their clothes torn and their hands bleeding. The cry had come
from the thicket, and yet further progress seemed hopeless, and they
were fairly exhausted. Pausing to rest, the deep stillness of the
African plain seemed oppressive, when suddenly Luji put his black hand
on the Captain's shoulder, wildly signing to him to listen, his great
mouth working convulsively. Nothing was to be seen as they crouched in
the bed of the stream, and, for Hughes at least, nothing to be heard. A
few seconds passed thus, when, from the tree tops, the long, plaintive,
trembling cry peculiar to the Australian bushranger came, quivering and
undulating through the air. There was no mistake now; it was close to
them, whatever it was; and sounded like the cry of some enormous bird in
pain. Luji seemed dreadfully agitated, and then for the first time, his
hearing sharpened by his position, the soldier could distinguish sounds
the more practised Hottentot had heard before. The noise was that of
bones being crunched by powerful teeth. This then was the meaning of
the long mournful cry which had come sweeping down to them on the banks
of the Limpolulo, and perhaps it was over the remains of a fellow
creature some savage animals were holding high carnival. The soldier's
blood ran cold as his imagination pictured the scene passing close to
him, while Luji's eyes seemed to roll in their sockets as he
gesticulated wildly and signed to his master to retreat, hoarsely
muttering in his ear, "Lions, master; two, three lions!"

Gently putting aside the brushwood which seemed to bar all onward
progress, while he trailed his gun after him, Captain Hughes advanced up
the bed of the stream. There was stern resolution in the knit brow and
firmly compressed lips. The tangled bushes closed after him, and the
great powerful Hottentot turned, to work his way back, leavi