SMELLING A RAT. 
29 
and, upon his saying that he had heard them called by 
that name, expectation put disgust to a precipitate fiightr 
imparted fresh vigour to our limbs, and carried us bravely 
over the huge potato-patch. 
During this time we saw one rat; and, just as we had 
crossed a deep ravine and were looking up at the rugged 
path we were called upon to ascend, we smelt another: we 
began to think we had been humbugged; and so disgust 
rallied, overcame expectation beyond further hope, and 
caused us to make the best of our way down the ravine 
to the beach, along "which ran a fine hard road from 
Simonstown to the pilot’s country residence. 
Once clear of the rough walking, we gave up all idea 
of hunting farther, and, remembering an invitation which 
Mr. Koutze had extended to us to visit him, took it lei- 
surely along towards his cottage. 
ISTow, however, that we were no longer hunting, it 
seemed that we wore to begin to burn powder ; for we had 
not walked a hundred yards along our fine road, before 
it took us across a little rivulet that followed the wind- 
ings of one of those interminable ravines, crossed the 
road, and then disappeared through the thick bushes, 
down, down, into the most snaky-looking locality that 
we had yet seen. 
“Ilillo! there’s a catbird!” exclaimed Ditchie, in an 
excited whisper. 
“ Wliere?” I asked, in the same tone. 
Where? In the bushes! Don’t you see him?” 
^^No, I don’t!” 
“Nor I either, now ! confound it ! He’s got away. Sup- 
pose you fire into the bushes at random and let me take 
