CHAPTER LV. 

 DIEDRICK'S VICISSITUDES. 



tHE afternoon was wearing away, and the three friends were in doubt whether 

 to wait in the hope of being joined by Diedrick, or return to camp and leave 

 him to take care of himself. 



Bob and Dick were opposed to anything like a desertion of their friend, who 

 might really be in need of help. The question was still undecided, when the three 

 heard the report of a rifle from the direction of the grass beyond them. 



"That's his gun !" exclaimed Bob; "he's all right." 



"I hope he is," said Dick, "but I don't know as there is any noticeable differ- 

 ence between the noise made by guns : that weapon may belong to some one else." 



There was much comfort in the fact that the sound reached them from the right 

 point of the compass. More than likely the weapon had been fired by the Hottentot : 

 at any rate his friends would believe such to be the fact until the contrary should be 

 proved. The horsemen were on the northern side of a gentle slope that intervened 

 between them and the grassy tract in which they had finished up their rhinoceros 

 hunting, so they rode to the top and looked down over the plain spread out before 

 them. For a while they could see nothing, but suddenly, to their amazement, they 

 observed Diedrick himself approaching. He was on foot, and the elevated position 

 of the horsemen enabled them to see him distinctly. 



" He has no horse," called out Dick. 



The Hottentot caught sight of the party on the crest, and waved his hand in 

 salute. His friends were so pleased to see that he was well and safe that they 

 waved their hats in return, and bade him hurry up and join them. 



The conclusion was unanimous that his horse had been slain in some encounter 

 with a savage beast, when the spectators were astounded to catch sight of the ani- 

 mal himself. He was some two hundred yards behind his master, and was walking 

 in the same direction, the intervening grass probably shutting them out from sight 

 of each other. 



" What can that mean ? " was the natural query of Bob Marshall. 



"He has lost his horse his horse has lost him," said Jack; " he has wearied 

 of looking after the horse, and now the horse has begun to look for him." 



It really appeared as if such was the fact, though the truth could not be learned 

 until the arrival of Diedrick, who was making good progress in the direction of his 

 waiting companions. 



As he continued advancing his pony did the same. His friends, suspecting that 

 he was unaware of the peculiar position, refrained from doing or sayirtg anything 

 that could give him a clew to the truth. 



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