56 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



" Hieu gaze ! Begad, old three-legs has him." But 

 alas ! the ancient spaniel has collared him too far astern, 

 and the otter, turning, fastens on to his canine antagonist. 

 The pair disappear from view into the muddy depths of 

 the stream. 



" For Heaven's sake save my dog," cries the " man of 

 weight," as he rolls out of the saddle and commences to 

 run up and down the bank as though debating within 

 himself as to whether he should dive into the spruit 

 and rescue gallant old " three-legs." 



Suddenly the leggy youngster jumps into the stream, 

 and, as the tip of the otter's " rudder " appears above 

 the surface of the water, he grasps the same, and the next 

 moment, with a great swing, he flings both dog and otter 

 on to the veld. Neither has relaxed its hold, but both 

 are too done to show further fight. 



It was not without a feeling of repugnance that I watched 

 my bobbery pack worry the last spark of life out of their 

 game quarry; but were I to say that I did not enjoy 

 my first and probably last otter hunt on a South 

 African river, I should scarcely speak the truth. 



