40 BIG GAME FIELDS 



ground, chuckled to himself and seemed greatly 

 pleased. I looked carefully along the floor of 

 the jungle, but could not see the slightest sign or 

 reason for his mirth. Presently we came to a 

 creek, and here on the muddy banks I could 

 plainly see the large three-toed hoof -prints of a 

 tapir. Passing on a little further, the hounds 

 soon gave tongue and were away on his hot trail. 



The excitement seemed to give me a new 

 lease of life, but just how I managed to develop 

 the speed and endurance to keep up fairly well 

 with John Charley, I never quite knew. I had 

 employed a good many different methods of 

 hunting during the past few years, but to follow 

 hounds through the jungle on foot was not only 

 a new experience to me, but strenuous enough for 

 the most blase sportsman. The run, though not 

 a very long one, was plenty stiff enough while it 

 lasted. Running down to a muddy bit of ground, 

 I caught sight of a big animal which looked as 

 large as a cow. The dogs had him at bay, and in 

 his wild fury he was dashing first at one dog 

 and then at another, trying to crush out their 

 lives with the lightning-like stamp of his fore- 

 feet. 



To be quick with the rifle meant a new speci- 

 men for me, rest, and a refreshing draught ofi 



