CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
DINNY IN "THROUBLE" AGAIN.
"An' if there was one there was over a thousand of thim, sor," criedDinny, a day or two later, when he had been out with Peter to bring backa strayed ox. "Ye niver see such savage little men in yer loife, sor.They came at us shouting bad language, and calling us all the blayguardsthey could lay their tongues to; and then one avil-looking owldreprobate ups wid a shtone and throws it at me. That was jist what theothers wanted--a bad patthern, sor--and they began shying shtones ashard as they could, till Pater and me was obliged to re-threat."
"And you ran away, Dinny?" said Dick; "you let the baboons drive youback?"
"The which, sor?"
"The baboons, Dinny; the apes."
"Ah, ye can call 'em by that name, Masther Dick, if ye loike; I calls'em little stumpy men, and as ugly as anything I iver see."
"Well, we shall have to go and pepper them," said Jack. "Let's go andtell father, Dick."
"Shure, ye may pepper and salt 'em too, Masther Jack," said Dinny,grinning, "but ye'll niver make anything of 'em but the toughest mate yeiver saw in yer loives."
"Ah, well, Dinny, we'll see," said Jack; and the two boys went and toldMr Rogers of Dinny and Peter having been attacked by a troop ofbaboons, that were close up to the camp amongst the rocks.
"How much of it is exaggeration?" said Mr Rogers, who was busy fillingout some choice bird-skins, the bright plumed coverings of some of thenatural history treasures he had secured.
"Some of it, of course, father," replied Dick. "But they are both cutabout the faces with stones."
This being the case, it was decided to try and scare off the littlevicious animals with a few charges of duck-shot, reserving the bulletsin their rifles in cases of extremity.
Dinny said he was too much hurt to go to the attack; but the rest of theforces were collected, and, led by Peter, they made their way up overthe ridge into the next valley; but no baboons were in sight, and thoughthey went on their trail for some little distance, it seemed to be auseless task; so, sending part of their little company back, Mr Rogerswent in one direction, the boys in another, to pass round a rocky hilland meet upon the other side.
Everything was very silent in the stillness of the hot midday, and whatwith the sun's torrid beams, and the reflection from the rocks, progresswas very slow, till a faint bleating noise, that seemed to come frombehind a patch of rocks, made the boys cock their pieces, and approachcautiously.
They were so accustomed to hunting now, that they had no difficulty instalking up to the clump of rocks, and there, sheltered behind somebushes, they stood with presented pieces, ready to fire, but hesitatingfor a time before the novelty of the scene.
Just in a depression amongst the rocks, where there was an open patch offine grass, crouched an antelope, with a glossy black skin, and a pairof the longest and most beautifully curved horns they had ever seen.
Dick knew it in a moment as the swart vitpense, or lion-killer, as itwas called by the Boers; and sure enough it was there at bay before alarge tawny lion, crouched ready to spring, but hesitating to bound andimpale itself upon those two finely pointed horns, which the antelope'slowered head pointed straight for the charge.
Twice over the monster seemed about to spring, but each time ithesitated, shuffling its feet beneath it, and altering its position moreto the right; but the antelope had no intention of being taken in flank,and kept changing front so as to meet the attack.
Then for the first time, they saw that the antelope had its little onebeneath it, and with all a mother's instinct she was protecting it withher horns.
This roused the boys on the instant. They had no sooner seen the headof that antelope and its wondrously beautiful horns, than they made uptheir minds to add it and its skin to their collection. But the bravemother's defence of her offspring won the young hunters to her side, andthey had just levelled their rifles for a deadly shot at the lion, whenit took them unawares, making a sudden spring, meaning to seize theantelope on the shoulder; but she had twisted a little round, so thatthe great cat threw itself right upon the two keen points, which passedcompletely through its body.
At the same moment the little antelope dashed away, and there was ahorrible struggle going on upon the patch of grass, the lion growlingand snarling hideously as it struck at the antelope, and then strove toget free from the horns which the swart vitpense dragged out, and thenstood up shivering by its assailant, which, far from thinking ofattacking again, lay upon its side, biting the grass and tearing at theground in its impotent fury.
Dick would have fired, but the monster had evidently received its deathwound; and it was well he and his brother reserved their charges, for,as the injured lion lay wallowing in its blood, making the rocks echo toits agonised roar, and as the poor torn antelope stood shivering andbleeding there, another fierce roar was heard, and a second lion boundedinto the depression, crouched, and sprang.
But quick as he was, the wounded antelope was quicker. Dropping uponher knees, her head was lowered, and the second lion leaped right uponher horns, dragging itself back, spitting and snarling with rage andpain, and then rolling over with a couple of bullets through itsshoulder.
The boys loaded, and fired again at the second lion, which, though halfparalysed, strove furiously to get at its aggressors; but in vain, for athird bullet made it roll over dead.
The first lion was already at its last gasp, and there was no longer anyneed for caution; so, running forward, Dick made for the black antelopethat was lying upon its side, horribly torn, and with its eyes fastglazing; for the weight of the second lion in its bound upon her hornshad dislocated her neck.
"Poor creature!" cried Dick. "Oh, Jack, I'd give something to be ableto bring the poor thing back to life."
"Why, Dick?" asked his father, who had heard the firing and ran with theGeneral to join them. "Yes," he said, when he had heard his sons'narrative; "poor brave creature! I would gladly see it bounding overthe plains again. Why, boys, you are growing quite mighty hunters inthe land. Only," he added, smiling, "the antelope would have killed thelions without your help. But what a head--what horns! That skin mustbe taken off carefully, boys, and the head preserved as our greatesttrophy. Yes," he said, measuring, "the horns are quite--no--threeinches short of five feet long, and as sharp as needles at the points.You know what it is, of course?"
"Yes," said Dick, admiring the jetty black skin and white underneathparts, "the swart vitpense."
"Yes, or sable antelope," said Mr Rogers. And then all set to workskinning, and a hard, hot, weary task they had before the two lions' andthe sable antelope's skins, were lying upon the ground, when thevultures, patiently waiting at a distance, were allowed to come on totheir banquet.
By this time Coffee and Chicory had come up on their trail, and helpedto carry back the spoil.