flying past all the time, and some struck us ; myriads of 

 sparks fell round and on us, burning numberless small 

 holes in our clothing, and dotting blisters on our backs ; 

 rcat s ^ eets f fl ame leaped out from the driving 

 glare, and, detached by many yards from their source, 

 were visible for quite a space in front of us. Then, 

 just at its maddest and fiercest there came a gasp and 

 sob, and the fire devil died behind us as it reached the 

 black bare ground. Our burn divided it as an island 

 splits the flood, and it swept along our flanks in two 

 great walls of living leaping roaring flame. 



Two hundred yards away there was a bare yellow 

 place in a world of inky black, and to that haven we 

 ran. It was strange to look about and see the naked 

 country all round us, where but a few minutes earlier 

 the tall grass had shut us in ; but the big bare ant- 

 heap was untouched, and there we flung ourselves 

 down, utterly done. 



Faint from heat and exhaustion scorched and 

 blistered, face and arms, back and feet ; weary and 

 footsore, and with boots burnt through we reached 

 camp long after dark, glad to be alive. 



We had forgotten the wounded buffalo ; he seemed 

 part of another life ! 



***** 



There was no more hunting for us : our feet had 

 * gone in,' and we were well content to sleep and rest. 

 The burnt stubbly ends of the grass had pierced the 

 baked leather of our boots many times ; and Jock, too, 

 had suffered badly and could hardly bear to set foot 



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