TIIK KLK 181 



"No, Ijut \vc will lr\' if \<iu liki'. I do like, jiikI wc wade 

 tlii'oiiu'h once more, hut Iia\'e a diHiciiliN' with llie dogs, 

 wlio ai'e as W(Mrv as ourscK'es, and plainix' sIkiw tln'ir 

 disappointment. 



Liift (■liml)S on to a rock in mid-stream, and wlunes 

 pitifully. At last they are over, and we lay tlicm on again. 

 We are reduced to a painful walk, and lliey ])i(d>: up a cold 

 scent slowly. Suddenly they shoot ahead, and in two 

 minutes luive him again, with a savage chorus, and this 

 time it does not move. He tlionght to have shaken them 

 off, and stopped almost as soon as he crossed the rivei-. 

 " He has got stiti'now," says John, " and won't start easily, 

 Init go softly." We steal u]), pushing the fir branches 

 aside. No broken sticks this time; we tread like cats 

 tliiDuuh the interlacinij: bouu'hs. I see a o-reat gray 

 shoulder and \ello\v horns. He stands up to the knees in a 

 sm;dl tarn, with his head towards the dogs, who are dancing 

 and harking on the bank al)0ve him. My arm waves like 

 the arm of a senia]>liore. and I feel tliat I could not hit 

 a house across the street. <>li for a rest! Ihit dolm says, 

 "Slioot through the branches or he will see you." As I 

 fire he crashes out amono- the doos. ami mv heart sinks, 

 for surel}' I have missed him. lUit .lohn claps me on the 

 shoulder, and says, '"'Gud schut." "Do you think he is 

 hit?" " Ja, sikker ! " As we run round the lakelet there 

 is a sweet sound of sciimmage beyond, and there lies a 

 vakkev ox, panting out his life, while tlic dogs rush in and 

 tear mouthfuls of wiry hair from his back. A five-year-old 

 bull, big enough to satisfy anybody ! The shot was a bad 

 one, and would not have serv^ed if he had been fresh. 

 Such a run is a severe strain, and 1 could scarcely have 



