_ CHAPTER FORTY THREE. DINNY IN "THROUBLE" AGAIN.
"An' if there was one there was over a thousand of thim, sor," cried Dinny, a day or two later, when he had been out with Peter to bring back a 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 blayguards they could lay their tongues to; and then one avil-looking owld reprobate ups wid a shtone and throws it at me. That was jist what the others wanted--a bad patthern, sor--and they began shying shtones as hard as they could, till Pater and me was obliged to re-threat."
"And you ran away, Dinny?" said Dick; "you let the baboons drive you back?"
"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 and tell 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 ye iver saw in yer loives."
"Ah, well, Dinny, we'll see," said Jack; and the two boys went and told Mr Rogers of Dinny and Peter having been attacked by a troop of baboons, that were close up to the camp amongst the rocks.
"How much of it is exaggeration?" said Mr Rogers, who was busy filling out some choice bird-skins, the bright plumed coverings of some of the natural history treasures he had secured.
"Some of it, of course, father," replied Dick. "But they are both cut about the faces with stones."
This being the case, it was decided to try and scare off the little vicious animals with a few charges of duck-shot, reserving the bullets in their rifles in cases of extremity.
Dinny said he was too much hurt to go to the attack; but the rest of the forces were collected, and, led by Peter, they made their way up over the ridge into the next valley; but no baboons were in sight, and though they went on their trail for some little distance, it seemed to be a useless task; so, sending part of their little company back, Mr Rogers went in one direction, the boys in another, to pass round a rocky hill and meet upon the other side.
Everything was very silent in the stillness of the hot midday, and what with the sun's torrid beams, and the reflection from the rocks, progress was very slow, till a faint bleating noise, that seemed to come from behind a patch of rocks, made the boys cock their pieces, and approach cautiously.
They were so accustomed to hunting now, that they had no difficulty in stalking up to the clump of rocks, and there, sheltered behind some bushes, they stood with presented pieces, ready to fire, but hesitating for a time before the novelty of the scene.
Just in a depression amongst the rocks, where there was an open patch of fine grass, crouched an antelope, with a glossy black skin, and a pair of 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 it was called by the Boers; and sure enough it was there at bay before a large tawny lion, crouched ready to spring, but hesitating to bound and impale itself upon those two finely pointed horns, which the antelope's lowered head pointed straight for the charge.
Twice over the monster seemed about to spring, but each time it hesitated, shuffling its feet beneath it, and altering its position more to 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 one beneath it, and with all a mother's instinct she was protecting it with her horns.
This roused the boys on the instant. They had no sooner seen the head of that antelope and its wondrously beautiful horns, than they made up their minds to add it and its skin to their collection. But the brave mother's defence of her offspring won the young hunters to her side, and they had just levelled their rifles for a deadly shot at the lion, when it took them unawares, making a sudden spring, meaning to seize the antelope on the shoulder; but she had twisted a little round, so that the great cat threw itself right upon the two keen points, which passed completely through its body.
At the same moment the little antelope dashed away, and there was a horrible struggle going on upon the patch of grass, the lion growling and snarling hideously as it struck at the antelope, and then strove to get free from the horns which the swart vitpense dragged out, and then stood up shivering by its assailant, which, far from thinking of attacking again, lay upon its side, biting the grass and tearing at the ground in its impotent fury.
Dick would have fired, but the monster had evidently received its death wound; 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 to its agonised roar, and as the poor torn antelope stood shivering and bleeding there, another fierce roar was heard, and a second lion bounded into the depression, crouched, and sprang.
But quick as he was, the wounded antelope was quicker. Dropping upon her knees, her head was lowered, and the second lion leaped right upon her horns, dragging itself back, spitting and snarling with rage and pain, and then rolling over with a couple of bullets through its shoulder.
The boys loaded, and fired again at the second lion, which, though half paralysed, strove furiously to get at its aggressors; but in vain, for a third bullet made it roll over dead.
The first lion was already at its last gasp, and there was no longer any need for caution; so, running forward, Dick made for the black antelope that was lying upon its side, horribly torn, and with its eyes fast glazing; for the weight of the second lion in its bound upon her horns had dislocated her neck.
"Poor creature!" cried Dick. "Oh, Jack, I'd give something to be able to bring the poor thing back to life."
"Why, Dick?" asked his father, who had heard the firing and ran with the General to join them. "Yes," he said, when he had heard his sons' narrative; "poor brave creature! I would gladly see it bounding over the plains again. Why, boys, you are growing quite mighty hunters in the land. Only," he added, smiling, "the antelope would have killed the lions without your help. But what a head--what horns! That skin must be taken off carefully, boys, and the head preserved as our greatest trophy. Yes," he said, measuring, "the horns are quite--no--three inches 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 underneath parts, "the swart vitpense."
"Yes, or sable antelope," said Mr Rogers. And then all set to work skinning, and a hard, hot, weary task they had before the two lions' and the sable antelope's skins, were lying upon the ground, when the vultures, patiently waiting at a distance, were allowed to come on to their banquet.
By this time Coffee and Chicory had come up on their trail, and helped to carry back the spoil. _