CHAP. VII. HUNTING WITH DOGS. 327 



" Well, I think 1 11 come with you to-morrow and see 

 the fun ; " and with this understanding we went to bed. 



Next morning three of us started, well mounted, and 

 with my boy leading Babey. The Noodsberg is a great 

 flat table-land, broken by a few streams, and covered with 

 short grass, and we had not far to go to find an oribi ; but 

 as they rose rather wild I did not at first give the signal 

 to shp. My friend at last spotted one lying flat on the 

 bare ground, and, edging round so as to form a half- circle, 

 we got within twenty yards, when she rose in front of the 

 hound, and the two got away on fair terms, and we, as 

 soon as they were fah'ly oft* raced after them. In the 

 first two muiutes Babey lessened the distance between 

 them by one-half, and I thought the aftair was settled, 

 when I suddenly saw the antelope, seemingly having just 

 become aware of its danger, shoot away in such extra- 

 ordinary bounds as left the hound as though it were 

 standing still. 



I had often seen Babey go, but I never saw him go 

 better than he did that day, though quite unavailingly, 

 for the antelope, keeping a bee-line, gradually mcreased 

 his distance, and sinking a small rise disappeared from 

 view ; and the hound after half an hour's absence returned 

 quite done up and with a clean mouth. 



" I thought your dog would be a good one if he caught 

 an oribi by himself," was my friend's remark, " though ho 

 certainly runs well," 



" Why, I met a nigger yesterday who pretended they 

 had caught one," I said, much disgusted, for I had thought 

 Babey could run into anythmg with four legs. 



" Oh, that would be the old induna 1 I tell you what: 



