104 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



myself to try our luck. So one dark night 

 about nine o'clock we shouldered an Ithaca 

 shotgun and, with the bicycle lamp, sallied 

 forth. 



We struck out across the quarter-mile, unin- 

 habited flat between the hotel and the railroad 

 station, intending then to turn to the right 

 toward the hills. Springhaas's burrows were 

 numerous and we had hope of finding a spring- 

 haas before we reached the station. 



I walked ahead and carried the light, which I 

 kept casting about from side to side as we 

 slowly walked along. Not a word was spoken. 

 The lantern cast a V-shaped ray over the hard, 

 sandy, brush-covered flat. 



Suddenly, out of the inky darkness, there 

 sprang, like magic, two balls of fire the size of 

 a five-cent piece and about three inches apart. 

 My heart gave a leap and for a few seconds I 

 stood petrified, forgetting entirely the object of 

 my presence. The next instant I came to my 

 senses and, turning to the doctor, whispered: 



"There's one! Give me the gun quick! Here! 

 you take the lantern and hold it on him and 

 I'll shoot!" 



The doctor took the lamp and turned it again 



