had twice been accidentally trodden on by men step- 

 ping back as he lay stretched out on the floor behind 

 them ; and doubtless he felt that it was no place for him : 

 his deafness prevented him from hearing movements, 

 except such as caused vibration in the ground, and, 

 poor old fellow, he was always at a disadvantage in 

 houses and towns. 



The baboon had then taken refuge in its box on 

 top of the pole to escape the sjambok, and when Seed- 

 ling saw Jock come out he commenced whistling and 

 calling softly to him. Jock, of course, heard nothing : 

 he may have responded mildly to the friendly overtures 

 conveyed by the extended hand and patting of legs, 

 or more probably simply took the nearest way to the 

 waggon where he might sleep in peace, since there 

 was nothing else to do. What the boys agree on is 

 that as Jock passed the pole Seedling patted and held 

 him, at the same time calling the baboon, and then gave 

 the dog a push which did not quite roll him over 

 but upset his balance ; and Jock, recovering himself, 

 naturally jumped round and faced Seedling, standing 

 almost directly between him and the baboon. He 

 could not hear the rattle of the chain on the box and 

 pole, and saw nothing of the charging brute, and it was 

 the purest accident that the dog stood a few inches out 

 of reach. The baboon chained by the neck instead 

 of the waist, because it used to bite through all 

 loin straps made its rush, but the chain brought 

 it up before its hands could reach Jock and 

 threw the hind-quarters round with such force 

 against him that he was sent rolling yards away. 



396 



