Hendricks the Hunter Part 7

"I vote we cross on horseback," said Denis. "It will be half an hour or more before the raft can come for us, and I'm getting desperately hungry. We can get over just as easily as those Kaffir fellows. We can either sit on the horses' backs, or hold on to their tails, while they tow us over. See, that's how the Kaffirs are crossing."

"I'm ready, at all events," said Lionel. "I think I'll ride my horse."

"Mind if you do, give him his head, and don't on any account pull at the halter," said Denis. "What way are you going to cross, Percy?"

Percy did not quite like the undertaking, not being accustomed to this sort of thing. But he was ashamed to refuse; at the same time, being an excellent swimmer, he was not afraid of the water, but more apprehensive of crocodiles, which he thought after the noise had ceased might come swimming up to the spot. At last, however, after seeing Denis and Lionel mount, they having secured their outer clothing to the heads of their horses, he imitated their example, and all three plunged into the river together, the horses now, with riders on their backs, taking to the water willingly enough. Denis led the way, keeping on the left or up stream. Percy followed closely a little farther down. Lionel was on his right. For some distance the river was sufficiently shallow for the horses to wade, with the water only half-way up their backs. Presently Denis's horse began to swim.

"I'll try the Kaffir fashion, and I'd advise you to do the same," cried Denis. "Lionel may stick on his horse's back if he likes."

Saying this he slipped off, and grasping hold of his horse's tail, was towed across, while he laughed and shouted to Percy to imitate his example. Neither Percy nor Lionel felt willing to make the attempt.

"Just try it," cried Denis again; "you'll find that your animal swims twice as fast. He can't kick, if he were to try."

They had already got more than half-way over, when, gaining courage, Percy slipped off, and had just got hold of his horse's tail when Lionel, who was, as has been said, a short distance off, uttered a cry of alarm. What was Percy's horror to see his horse frantically beating the water with his fore-legs and making no progress! The dreadful thought instantly occurred to him, that a crocodile had caught hold of the animal's legs, and that the boy, who had acknowledged a short time before that he was not much of a swimmer, would either be seized by the monster, or be drowned. Percy, though quiet and una.s.suming in his manners, possessed more courage and resolution than he was aware of.

Another crocodile might seize him even while swimming behind his horse, but he did not think of that risk. He could not bear to see his young companion perish without an effort to save him.

"Throw yourself off, and swim towards me," he shouted.

Lionel did as he was advised, narrowly escaping being struck by the horse's hoofs. On this, Percy, letting go his horse's tail, and exerting all his strength, swam to meet Lionel, who, although supporting himself in the water, was evidently unable to reach the bank towards which they had been directing their course.

"Keep up, keep up until I come to you," cried Percy, and in a few seconds he was up to Lionel. "Now place your hand on my back, and strike out with the other and your feet at the same time. Don't attempt to clutch me, and we will, please heaven, gain the bank."

Lionel, who kept his presence of mind, did as he was bid. At first Percy was in hopes of regaining his horse's tail, but the animal had got too far ahead, and was now abreast of Denis's horse. Denis himself was too much ahead to see what had happened, and not until Percy's horse had got up to him was he aware of the danger of his two companions. His first impulse was to let go and swim to their a.s.sistance, but his next thought was that his powers were insufficient for the task.

As he looked round he saw them both swimming on steadily, while Lionel's unfortunate horse was gradually sinking beneath the surface, although its fore-feet were still striking out in the vain attempt to escape from the jaws of its captor.

"Shall I come and help you?" he shouted out. "I'll try to do so if you want me."

"No, no," answered Percy. "If you are not a good swimmer, you'll do no good. Get to sh.o.r.e as fast as you can, and send off a raft to us, for they don't appear to be looking at us."

Owing to the oxen and horses having just landed, what had occurred had not been perceived from the sh.o.r.e. Crawford, who had gone across on the last raft, was the first to discover that there were only two horses.

He then saw the heads of Percy and Lionel close together.

Shouting out to Hendricks, who was at some distance, attending to the waggon, he leaped on to one of the rafts, making signs to the nearest Kaffir, to whom he could not otherwise communicate his wishes, to come off with him.

Fortunately Hendricks heard his voice, and rushing down, sprang on to the raft. In the meantime Percy had a hard matter to keep up. The stream was carrying him and Lionel farther and farther down; and as they got away from the noise made by the cattle, he well knew that the risk of being seized by another crocodile was greatly increased.

Still, though he might easily have gained the sh.o.r.e by himself, nothing would induce him to quit his young charge.

"Hold up, Lionel," he cried. "Kick about with your feet, and shout as loud as you can. Those brutes of crocodiles won't hurt us while they've got the horse to eat. Hurrah! we are seen from the sh.o.r.e; your father and Crawford are on it. They are stopping to pick up Denis, they'll be up to us soon. Now stop and tread water, it will give me a rest. It won't matter if we are floated a little lower down. Shout and shriek as loud as you like."

All this Percy said at the top of his voice, for he did not feel quite as confident as he tried to make Lionel suppose, that another crocodile would not make its appearance. Still his hopes of escape rose as he saw the raft urged on by poles and paddles approaching. He kept looking round him, however, to watch whether one of the dreaded monsters was rising to the surface, not that, should it approach, he would be able to do much to make his escape. Lionel all the time showed not the slightest fear. He did exactly as he was told. Had his skill as a swimmer equalled that of Percy, he would rather have trusted to his own powers, than have hindered his companion from reaching the sh.o.r.e. The raft was still some way off, although they could distinguish the features of their friends. When, as they were treading water, holding each other's hands, Lionel, casting a glance down the stream, exclaimed, "O Percy, can that brute be coming this way?" Percy looked in the same direction, and there sure enough he saw the head of a huge crocodile, with its snout directed towards them.

"We won't stop here to be gobbled up, at all events," cried Percy. "Put your hand as before on my back, and we'll swim towards the raft. We may be in time to get on to it before the creature reaches us."

Though he said this, he felt very faint hopes of success; still, like a brave fellow, he kept up, shouting and splashing as much as he could without stopping on his way. Once he glanced over his shoulder. The dreaded monster came swimming on. In another minute, before they could possibly reach the raft, it would be up to them, though Hendricks and his companions were exerting their utmost strength to urge it on. Just then a man was seen running along the bank. He stopped, and raised a rifle to his shoulder. Percy fancied he could hear the bullet whistle through the air, and the thud as it struck the crocodile's head. The monster sank from sight. Denis and Crawford raised a loud cheer, and in a few seconds they were hauling Percy and Lionel, both almost exhausted, on to the raft.

"Bravo! Percy, you did it well," cried Denis; "and Lionel showed himself to be a brave little chap, or he would not have enabled you to save him as you have done."

Hendricks was less demonstrative, but equally grateful to Percy, although he had no time just then to show his feelings. Placing the two boys on the centre of the raft, he, with the rest who had come on it, had to exert themselves to pull back to the sh.o.r.e, where they found Umgolo waiting to receive them.

"You saved the boys' lives, my friend," said Hendricks, addressing him and taking his hand. "You have rendered me many services; this is not the least of them."

Of course he spoke in Kaffir, and Umgolo replied in the same language, that he was always ready to serve his young master, and that he was very glad to have prevented the crocodile from destroying the two boys. No time was lost in conveying them up to the spot where the camp was to be fixed. Here a fire was immediately lighted to dry their clothes and to cook some provisions, while they sat close to it, wrapped up in blankets. They both speedily recovered, the proof of which was that they ate heartily of the viands prepared for them.

"It's the last time I'll endeavour to cross a river at the tail of a horse, when crocodiles are likely to be swimming about," exclaimed Denis. "I'm mighty glad that you escaped from the brute, Lionel; had you been swimming as I was, it would have had you to a certainty."

The circ.u.mstance which had occurred tended greatly to draw the lads together, while Percy rose much in the estimation of all his companions.

"I only wish that I could see a hungry lion rush out on you, or a party of Zulus coming out of a kraal to cut off your head; I'd show both the one and the other what I could do with my rifle," exclaimed Lionel.

"I'd fight until I was killed, and should not care if you made your escape."

"Thank you!" answered Percy. "I hope we shall not come to that extremity, but I am very sure that you will do your best to help me out of any danger I happen to get into."

The night pa.s.sed with the usual chorus from hyenas and jackals. At dawn the travellers were on the move. For a considerable distance few inhabitants were met with, the king not approving of his subjects living near the border, lest, when he should require them, they should get across it, and escape from his paternal care.

After moving on for some days, another steep hill rose before them.

They encamped at the foot, that the oxen might the better be able to drag up the waggon in the morning. The ascent was no easy one, and the Hottentots had to exert their arms and voices.

"I hope the descent will not be so difficult, or the waggon may chance to be capsized," said Crawford, as he and Denis were following behind, ready to put big stones under the wheels, and prevent the vehicle slipping back.

"No fear of that, for we shall not have to descend at all," answered Denis.

He was right. On the summit being reached, the travellers found themselves on the edge of a vast plateau, extending to the north and south. Some parts were covered with fine timber trees, others with scattered mimosa bushes, and here and there a hillock rose above the plain. Deer of various species were seen bounding along in unrestrained freedom, chiefly small animals; now and then a herd of pallah or koodoo would make their appearance, sorely tempting the hunters to go in chase.

Hendricks, however, was anxious to proceed as fast as he could through the country, until he could reach a region where elephants and other more valuable animals abounded.

Although the sun was intensely hot during the day, the air was pure and exhilarating, especially in the early morning. Day after day the party travelled on, occasionally pa.s.sing near kraals, but Hendricks generally avoided them, unless he wished to do a stroke of trade with the inhabitants. The country as they advanced became wilder and rougher, and game of all sorts abounded, so that after outspanning in the afternoon, the hunters who went out with their guns never failed to bring back an ample supply of meat for the camp. When there was time, and there was more than was required for immediate consumption, the flesh, whether of deer, or quagga, or gnu, was cut up into long strips, and after being slightly salted, was strung up, either outside the waggon, or on a rope fastened from it to a tree, where it quickly dried in the warm air. The meat thus prepared is called beltong, and requires no further cooking to suit the palate of the hunter. It is to be sure somewhat hard, but not bad tasted. Even the flesh of the quagga, which few white men would eat willingly, becomes, when thus prepared, tolerably palatable.

Occasionally it was necessary to give the oxen a rest, when they might regain, on an abundant pasture, their strength, exhausted by the toils they had encountered.

Next time they stopped, Denis, Percy, and Lionel agreed that they would go hunting together, so that they might have all the glory to themselves; for, should they accompany Hendricks and Umgolo, or even Crawford, who had become a good shot and a daring hunter by this time, they would, as Denis observed, "not have a chance of shooting anything."

Two days after this, having arrived at a suitable spot, away from any kraal, where there was an abundance of gra.s.s, and a stream of bright water flowing at the bottom of the valley; their leader calling a halt, the oxen were outspanned and the camp formed. As there was sure to be plenty of game in the neighbourhood, the three lads at once made arrangements for their trip. As their steeds had merely followed quietly behind the waggon, they were perfectly fresh, and it was settled that they should ride them. They agreed also to take with them a Kaffir servant, Gozo, who, though not equal to Umgolo, was considered an experienced hunter. Hendricks did not object to the boys accompanying him, though he gave him strict charge to keep them out of harm's way.

They turned in early, that they might be off at daybreak, as Hendricks wisely insisted that they should return before nightfall.

CHAPTER SIX.

A HUNTING EXPEDITION.

The three lads, accompanied by old Gozo the Kaffir, set off in high spirits at daylight, expecting to have a magnificent day's hunting.

Denis, from having more experience than his companions, took the lead.

Lionel, who, though much younger, had spirits enough to carry him through anything, kept up with him; but Percy, although he did his best, being less inured to the heat of the climate, soon began to feel fatigue, and expressed his fears that he should have to turn back.

"Don't say that; come along, come along," cried Denis. "You won't mind the heat or feel tired, directly we get sight of the game. Gozo says that about five miles farther on there's a broad stream, running through a wide valley or rather a plain, and that at the ford to which he will conduct us we shall be certain to meet with large animals, elephant and rhinoceroses, quaggas and pallahs, and other deer."

Percy, thus encouraged, pulled himself together, and tried to forget the heat. They rode on, however, for several miles, without meeting with a living creature. Nothing was to be seen on either hand but wild mountain-sides and arid plains dotted here and there with gigantic ant-hills and occasional groves of tall trees.