OUTWITTING A JACKAL 51 



except that of the pointed ears which followed 

 the following eyes. The distance decreased 

 as the spiral drew in; the Lachesis-web was 

 being spun fine ; Atropos stood ready with her 

 shears. Fifty — forty yards — now he must be 

 very uneasy indeed. There was evidently no 

 burrow available; otherwise he would long 

 since have disappeared into it. He had never 

 seen anyone manoeuvre like this; how he 

 wished he had bolted when I first altered my 

 course. Thirty — twenty yards; — that was 

 more than he could stand. He hurled himself 

 forth — only to fall, riddled by a charge of 

 buck-shot. 



Hendrick came running across the flat, his 

 face beaming with delight. There would be joy 

 in the camp that night, for jackal-flesh is the 

 Hottentots' favourite delicacy. 



Try as I might, I never — in the course of 

 my various Bushmanland trips — had been able 

 to shake Hendrick off, for my friend Andries 

 had issued strict injunctions that he was never 

 to lose my spoor. So whenever I left camp, 

 Hendrick made careful note of the direction I 

 had taken and, after an interval, followed me. 

 No notice was taken of the protests I made 

 against this, as a rule, wholly unnecessary 

 precaution, for Andries had a strong arm and 



