160 THE TROTTING RHINO 



range to deflect my bullets. I did not quite know 

 what was going to happen when I pulled trigger, 

 but I intended to shoot as close as I knew how, and 

 to keep on shooting. The shoulder shot was my 

 best one, for his position rather protected the 

 heart. I took the cartridges out of my pocket and 

 placed them carefully at my side to have them 

 within instant reach. With my first shot he 

 jumped, which gave me opportunity to get one in 

 behind the shoulder and to put in another in the 

 same place before he disappeared in the glade and 

 went smashing his way up the hill opposite. 



As Nagh had no gun I directed him to go back 

 to the noon camp and bring up the party, and then 

 follow on my tracks, as I intended to go after the 

 seladang and camp on its trail if I did not get it 

 before. Nagh returned and I went on cautiously 

 —even more so than before, because now there was 

 blood spoor— up one hill and down another, some- 

 times around a hill, when I redoubled my caution, 

 if possible, for a circling trail usually means rest 

 or fight. Thus I went on, without again hearing 

 the seladang, until it became too dark to track, 

 when I camped. Nagh and my party did not turn 

 up, so I made an attap and cane lean-to, a cane 

 couch to raise me off the mud, ate some chocolate 

 and turned in. Nor did any of the party put in 

 appearance in the morning, but I heard a faint hail 



