CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE HORNS OP A DILEMMA. 



THE young hunters struck an easy gallop toward the grove of timber, whither 

 they had driven a couple of oryxes for Jack Harvey to capture. 

 Despite their confidence in the Texan's bravery and skill, they were not 

 without some misgiving, based on the natural mistake any one was liable to make 

 respecting the graceful, fleet-footed animals that know how to use their horns 

 so well. 



This uneasiness was suddenly increased by what took place while they were yet 

 some distance from the timber. One of the creatures dashed into sight, leaping 

 and cavorting in the most extraordinary manner. It seemed to be standing on its 

 hind legs, then balancing itself on its front ones, whirling around, darting hither 

 and thither, and, in fact, disporting itself like an oryx gone clean daft. 



There was a hint of the cause of this frantic performance, for the sombrero of 

 Jack Harvey was pierced through the top by both horns, and it had slid down to 

 their base, where it had settled over the pretty eyes of the creature. 



The oryx was in the situation of a man that has a hat jammed inextricably over 

 his face, and its wild performances were with a view to relieving itself of the exas- 

 perating annoyance, which seemed to baffle its frantic efforts. 



About all it could do was to strike at it with its fore feet, and flirt its head. Sev- 

 eral times the hat, with its rattlesnake band, appeared to rise a short way up the 

 supports, as if about to part company with them, but settled back in place, and 

 resisted every attempt to dislodge it. 



But for the serious phase of this performance, the boys would have made the 

 wood ring with laughter, for a funnier exhibition cannot be imagined; but they were 

 too much alarmed about the Texan. 



" I am afraid he has been gored by the gemsbok," said Bob, in a scared voice, 

 " and is in need of help, if indeed he is not killed." 



"There is little time to lose," added Dick, as much terrified as his cousin ; "we'll 

 leave our ponies here, and stop just long enough to capture this animal, which looks 

 like a female." 



On reaching the other side of the grove, where he had stopped to secure one of the 

 oryxes, Jack Harvey had dismounted and left his mustang at the farther boundary. 

 The intervening trees and vines were sufficient to shut out all view of the plain on 

 which the animals were feeding. Knowing the timid nature of the antelope kind, 

 he deemed it necessary to keep himself and horse out of sight as long as he could. 



By leaving his steed, he was invisible to the approaching creatures, until they 

 should penetrate the grove for at least half its width. The density of the timber 



