330 



A STROKF. OF FORTUNE. 



Pongo recognized it at this moment, and, knowing th anxiety oi his employers 

 to obtain a young hippopotamus, he resolutely grappled with it and shouted for help. 

 Notwithstanding its youth, the little pumpkin-bellied creature fought and floun- 

 dered with such vigor that it required the united exertions of Pongo, Mr. Godkin 

 and Jack Harvey to overcome and get it out on dry land, where it still rolled, 

 rooted, butted and grunted like a pig with the colic. 



Had they been a little larther from camp, they would have sent thither for con- 

 veniences to help carry it, for the little one was so bulky that it was tco big a load 



for a single person to transport far 

 without help. As it was, however, 

 the distance was brief, and it was 

 brought in after considerable diffi- 

 culty and lodged in its quarters, 

 which, I may say, was all the room 

 that remained at the disposal of 

 the hunters, though, of course, 

 more could have been arranged. 



"That winds up our work of 

 catching animals in South Africa," 

 said Mr. Godkin, once more re- 

 suming his seat around the camp- 

 fire; "to-morrow we begin to make 

 preparations for the journey to 

 Port Natal." 



"But," said Dick Brownell, 

 " the largest animal of all has not 

 been caught." 



"You mean the elephant? I 

 did intend to try to secure one or 

 two of them, but our chief said 

 he needed them less than any 

 other curiosities. He has a large 

 number with his show, and if 

 he needs more he will meet no 

 trouble in buying them. He told 

 me not to put myself out to secure them, though if a good opportunity presented, 

 I might gather some in. We may gain a chance on the way." 



True to what he said, the preparations were made at an early hour the next day 

 to start for the sea-coast. It was a big job, and the journey was necessarily long, 

 tedious and excessively trying. 



They had a goodly number of captives which required constant and careful 

 attention. There were the two young leopards, the hartbeest. the eland, the 

 young lion, two oryxes, mother and young giraffe, mother and young zebra, por- 



"Conn, HELP!" 



