STORY OF ONCIDIUM SPLENDIDUM 245 



The shelter they sought lay some miles back. There is 

 plenty of game on these unpeopled uplands, if a man knows 

 how to find it, and a hunter had built himself this cabin in 

 the woods. They reached it as darkness was setting in — a 

 hut as rough as could be, standing on the edge of a small 

 savannah. At the same moment the owner returned, with a 

 deer tied on the back of a small but very pretty ox. He 

 might well be surprised, but hospitality is a thing of course 

 in those parts. Kindness to animals is not, however — much 

 the contrary — and Oversluys observed with pleasure how 

 carefully the little ox was treated. Children came running 

 from the hut, and, after staring in dumb amaze for a while 

 at the strangers, took the animal and actually groomed it in 

 a rough way. 



After supper — of venison steaks — Oversluys alluded to 

 this extraordinary proceeding. The guide said, ' Our friend 

 Pablo may well take care of his ox. There's not such 

 another for hunting on the countryside.' And Pablo grunted 

 acquiescence. 



' For hunting ? ' asked Oversluys. 



' Yes. You should see him when he catches sight of deer. 

 Tell the gentleman, Pablo.' 



Upon this theme the hunter was talkative, and he re- 

 ported such instances of sagacity that Oversluys — remember- 

 ing those ruffians who awaited him at La Vergen — asked 

 whether there was any chance to see the ox at work ? Pablo 

 meant to have another stalk at dawn, with the hope of carry- 

 ing two deer to market, and willingly he agreed to take his 

 guest. So they started before daylight. 



It was no long journey to the hunting-ground. These 

 high lands are mostly savannah, with belts of dense forest 

 between. Oversluys had heard deer belling incessantly all 

 night. After carefully studying the wind Pablo chose the 

 direction of the hunt. He had cut tracks to each point of 



