288 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES 



his rifle and swept it along the line of heads. 

 But the agile creatures were too quick; they all 

 dodged back without being struck. 



Then the baboons in front charged, and one 

 of them, either intentionally, or from being 

 crowded by those behind it, actually gained 

 the entrance to the crevice. Just in time the 

 Englishman turned his rifle on it. 



The troop scrambled away but immediately 

 came back and stood guard at the entrance. 

 With only three more cartridges left, the pris- 

 oner thought it advisable to hold his fire. 



In front of the crevice the animals were 

 jumping up and down on all fours. Now and 

 then a ferocious beast would rush up to a bush 

 or a small tree, grasp it, and shake it furiously. 



When the animals behind slowly and uncon- 

 sciously crowded the others forward, the En- 

 glishman would move back until they drew dan- 

 gerously near. Then he would lunge forward 

 and let out a piercing yell, and they would tum- 

 ble over each other in a wild scramble to safety. 

 But in a few seconds they would be back again, 

 as thick and pugnacious as ever. 



The baboons overhead were far more aggres- 

 sive than the others; they kept stretching their 



