TURNING THE TABLES. 



303 



A short distance only was ridden, when Bob saw that his pony was doomed. 

 The rhinoceros was not only gaining, but was gaining rapidly, and in a few minutes 

 would overtake the steed. 



" My horse must go," he thought, " and it looks pretty rough for me ; where the 

 mischief can Diedrick be?" 



A few minutes later the pursuer overhauled the fugitive. 



The infuriated rhinoceros ran his snout under the belly of the horse, and Bob, 

 feeling something strike his foot, glanced down. The point of the terrible horn had 

 passed entirely through the body of his steed and touched his foot. Freeing his 

 feet from the stirrups, the lad made a flying leap, landing in the grass and falling 

 upon his side with a violence that stunned him for a few seconds. 



During that time he heard the brief but furious struggle of his horse, which 

 speedily became still. He was quickly killed by his savage antagonist, which turned 

 about to look for the missing rider. 



The rhinoceros was much closer to the lad than was pleasant for the latter, but 

 there was a chance that the youth would not be seen. He was lying in the grass, 

 his gun a rod distant, and praying 

 that he might escape discovery. 



The beast, having finished his 

 dreadful work, stood still, listen- 

 ing for some sound that would tell 

 where the presumptuous youth was 

 that had dared to fire a gun at him. 

 Had Bob made the least noise 

 the rhinoceros would have swept 

 down upon him like an avalanche. 

 From where he lay he could see 

 the long, clay-coated body of the 

 monster close to the ground, look- 

 ing like a locomotive boiler partly 

 hoisted in position. The short, 

 beam-like legs were invisible, but 

 the massive head was uplifted so 

 that it was on a line with the 

 back. The ears seemed, to be 

 tremulous with the desire to catch 

 +hf> coveted sound that should be- 

 if&y his victim. 



it need not be said that Bob made no noise. He had shifted his position 

 slightly, so that he was lying on his face, his hat off, his body flattened close to the 

 earth, while his eyes were fixed upon his dreaded enemy. 



The rhinoceros stood in an attitude of intense attention for several seconds 

 Then tKe ponderous head slowly moved part way to the left, coming gradually back 



" HE SKKS MR." 



