_ CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. THE TABLES TURNED
The rhinoceros did not see Mr Rogers at first, but went straight back upon its own trail, lowering its head from time to time, and literally ploughing its way through the tangled grass with its horn, which, driven by the weight behind, scattered the roots and fragments on either side.
The dogs, rejoicing in the change of position, snapped and barked at its heels; and as the boys galloped on, with their rifles ready and at full cock, they could note more at their ease the peculiarity of the animal's make. This was ponderous to a degree, and the great folds of skin at the shoulders and haunches as they worked while the beast galloped along, made it look as if the greater part of its body was covered by a huge shell like that of a tortoise.
But now all at once the monster seemed to have caught sight of Mr Rogers and the big bay, for it uttered a peculiar hoarse squeal, gave its little tail a twist, tossed its head as it leaped clumsily from the ground, and then, lowering its horn, dashed straight at the new enemy before it.
Upon seeing this change of front Dick leaped from his horse, and Jack did likewise, the cobs standing perfectly still, with the reins thrown over their heads to trail upon the ground at their feet. Then going down upon one knee as the rhinoceros, instead of being tail on, now presented its side, they took careful aim and fired.
_Crack_! _thud_!
_Crack_! _thud_!
The reports of the two rifles were followed by what seemed to be a dull echo, telling them plainly enough that their shots had told.
The rhinoceros stopped short and shook its head, and they saw it try to turn it, as if to touch a tender or ticklish place with its nose.
The next moment there was another report, as Mr Rogers fired, and the thud that followed told of a fresh hit.
The rhinoceros shook its head again, whisked round in the most absurd way, and went off at a clumsy gallop, followed by a couple more shots from the boys' rifles.
"Waste of lead! waste of lead!" cried Mr Rogers, cantering up. "Well, what do you think of the rhinoceros?"
"Oh, what a brute, father!" cried Dick, remounting. "Let's go on after it. He's badly hit."
"He's hit, certainly," said Mr Rogers; "but unless you can well choose your spot those shots of ours would do very little more than make a sore place under the creature's hide. He's like an old-fashioned man-at-arms in his buff jerkin."
"But let's go after it, father," cried Jack.
"No, I would not to-day, my boy. 'Discretion,' you know, is the better part of valour, and the horses are overdone as it is. We shall know where to go another time, so let it rest for the present."
"But that great brute will be rushing out at us at all sorts of times," said Jack.
"Then you must keep the better look out. If you fire at it again, you must aim before the shoulder, mind; take him as he's coming, if you don't feel too nervous."
Jack looked at his father, and then at Dick, and then they both laughed.
"Well father, it does make you feel queer to have that great brute thundering down upon you," said Dick.
"You would be curious beings if you did not," said Mr Rogers, laughing. "But you must take care, boys, for the rhinoceros is a very dangerous beast; and it will charge at anything, even at a tree if it is in its way."
"Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!" laughed Jack.
"What are you laughing at?" said his father.
"I was just thinking that I should like to see that great brute after Dinny, and Dinny scuffling up a tree to get out of its way."
"Yes, it would be good fun," said Dick; "but I should like Dinny to have a good start."
"He would need it," said Mr Rogers gravely; and they rode on gently back to the camp.
There was fresh news here, for both the General and Coffee had to report that they had seen rhinoceros, and upon comparing notes, it was very evident that it could not be the same, unless the creature could have been in three places at once.
This was promising, for, in spite of the danger, they all wanted to number one of the great beasts in the list of the game they shot.
But during the next few days, with the exception of the daily shooting of an antelope for the larder, they saw no great game, even failing to put up the big rhinoceros when they rode over the same ground again.
They found the lair in amongst the thick bushes and dried grass, the dogs running through it from side to side, while the three hunters sat with presented pieces, ready to shoot at the first charge. They kept well apart too, so as to be ready to help the one at whom the rhinoceros came; but they saw nothing of the beast, and it was evident that it had shifted its quarters.
The weather had been intensely hot and dry, so that the long reedy grass crackled and rustled as they passed along, and in places the tramp of the horses' hoofs sent the dust flying in clouds.
One evening towards sunset they were about ten miles from the camp, and wearied out with the heat and sultriness of the air which for days past had threatened a storm; they were riding listlessly across a wide plain that was being rapidly turned into a regular desert for want of refreshing rain.
Nobody had spoken for some time, when suddenly Jack exclaimed,--
"Look! the plain is on fire."
The horses were reined in, and as they gazed in the direction pointed out, it was evident that there was what seemed to be a very large fire rolling across the plain; the white smoke-clouds rising quite high.
"Is it the grass on fire?" said Dick, as Mr Rogers brought his little double glass to bear.
"It is no fire at all," said his father, "but dust. There is a great herd of buffalo crossing the plain, and we ought to get a shot."
Click! click! went the lock of Jack's rifle, and he leaped down to tighten his girths.
"No!" said Mr Rogers; "they are oxen and horsemen. It is a large party crossing the plain--an emigration of Boers, I'll be bound."
They rode gently on towards the long line of dust-clouds, which was passing at right angles to them; and as they drew nearer they could plainly see beneath the lurid sky figures of men on horseback, blacks mounted on oxen, and waggon after waggon with its enormously long team.
As they approached, some of the sun-tanned, dejected-looking men riding in front turned their heads, and stared sullenly at the little party, but they seemed to have no desire for any friendly intercourse; and when Mr Rogers spoke to them they replied sullenly in broken English mixed with Dutch, that they were going north.
They were curious-looking men from an English point of view, and would have been greatly improved by the use of a pair of scissors to their long, abundant, fair hair. Each man carried his rifle ready for the first enemy that might cross his path, and their numerous black servants trudged on with loads or rode the oxen.
These blacks, too, took the attention of the boys, one being a perfect giant in his way, a great square shouldered fellow of quite six-feet-six in height; while another, mounted upon an ox, had his hair twisted up into a couple of points, standing up from his head like the horns of an antelope.
Every one looked jaded and worn out, as if with a long journey; and the dejected aspect of the masters was traceable even in their dogs, one of which went on in front with his head, down and tongue lolling out, aiming evidently at some particular point.
So surly were the leaders of the party that Mr Rogers made no further effort to be friendly, but sat with his sons looking-on, till the whole troop, extending several hundred yards, had filed by, under the cloud of dust shuffled up by the oxen's feet; and then, as the little hunting-party rode on, they could see as it were a cloud go rolling slowly over the plain, the emigrant party being quite hidden by its folds, till the dreary dust-covered plain was passed.
"How are we to get at these rhinoceroses?" said Mr Rogers, as they rode homeward. "We must have one, boys; but I don't want to have out the Zulus to track, for fear of their getting injured."
"Perhaps we shall come across one, father, when we don't expect it," said Dick. "Let's try to get a giraffe or two, and we may find a rhinoceros without hunting for it."
"Very wisely said," replied Mr Rogers; "perhaps we shall." _