Off to the Wilds Part 36

"He's coming right for us, I know," cried his brother. "You see if he don't come up close here."

The king seemed to expect it too, and he gave orders to his men; but before the large canoe could be got under weigh the monster rose quite close to them, opened its huge jaws, its little pig-like eyes glowing with fury, and took a piece out of the canoe.

Half the paddlers leaped overboard in their dread, as the monster opened its huge jaws for a second bite, this time close to where the two boys and the king were seated, the latter seeming paralysed at the imminence of the danger.

No word was spoken, one will seeming to guide both d.i.c.k and Jack, who, without raising their rifles to their shoulders, rested them pistol-fashion upon the side of the canoe, and fired straight into the monster's mouth.

There was a tremendous clap-to of his jaws, but not upon the side of the canoe; and then the huge head slowly sank down out of sight, as a couple of fresh cartridges were thrust into the rifles.

But now there was a fresh danger, water was coming in over the side where the piece was taken out; and it took a great deal of shouting, and no little help with the spare paddles, given by his majesty and his two visitors, to get the canoe run aground before she could sink.

Wet legs were the worst misfortune, and as they leaped ash.o.r.e the men set to, hauled up the canoe, and emptied out the water, and in an hour they had sewn on a thick skin so as to temporarily keep out the water at the side, thin canes answering for needle and thread, after which they embarked.

It was none too soon; for as the last man got on board and the canoe was pushed off, there was a loud snorting and rustling in the reeds, and a hippopotamus rushed at them, giving the lads such an opportunity that they both sent a bullet into it as it entered the water, and they saw it no more.

Meanwhile the six hunters had not only killed their hippo, but had seen the monster shot by the boys aground, quite dead, upon one of the sandy bits of land, and they had steered their own trophy to its side, where they were busy drawing out the spears with which it bristled, as the king's canoe came up.

A rope was made fast to each of the monsters then, and they were towed down stream and out into the big river, where, upon their reaching the town, an attack was made upon the great beasts, and the flesh hewed off amidst a great deal of shouting, singing, and drumming, the boys feeling no great temptation to eat hippopotamus, but being proud enough to display the head of the monster they had shot--a head that was even startling in its size and weight.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

A ROW UP STREAM, AND A RUN DOWN.

Naturally attracted by his sons' success, Mr Rogers agreed to go up the river with the king on an expedition to last a couple of days, during which they were to shoot hippopotamus, crocodile, and perhaps get a shot at a giraffe; and in due time a couple of large canoes were got ready, and in one was placed a tub of spirit for curiosities, and a chest to hold the skins of any choice birds that might be shot.

In the other Mr Rogers had his guns and ammunition, with necessary stores in a chest; and so as to superintend and direct the men, it was settled that the king should go in one boat, Mr Rogers and Dinny in the other, each boat having four stout rowers to handle the long paddles they used.

All in good time they started, greatly to Dinny's disgust; for he felt certain that the canoe would sooner or later overturn, and that he should be shot right into the mouth of one or other of the crocodiles.

"They'll know fast enough, Masther d.i.c.k," he said piteously; "and you'll see if they don't come following the canoe like sharks afther a boat.

Oh, murther, it was a sad day whin I took sarvice with the masther."

Dinny took care, however, that Mr Rogers should not hear any of his plaints, and in due time the canoes started, and went well for the first part of the journey, the men paddling and singing, and a halt being made for midday and evening meal, which was made savoury with the large ducks that abounded in the reed beds, close in sh.o.r.e. Two or three good shots sufficed to provide enough for the whole party, and the men were in high glee, laughing and chatting as they picked the birds, which Dinny roasted before a good fire.

At night they halted and drew up the canoes, proceeding afterwards to make a couple of large tents of reeds, which they cleverly cut, tied in bundles, and secured together--no mean shelter in a journey through the wilds; but Dinny found terrible fault with the arrangements, and had to be severely snubbed to bring him to a more patient state.

They started in good time the next morning, so as to be early at the ground where the king promised game; but here the character of the country had altered, and in place of the swift, smoothly-flowing river, they had entered upon a part where it was broken up with rapids, long ranges of rocks stretching across the river like weirs and keeping the waters back, but making a series of rapids, down which the river rushed at a furious rate.

"Shure, sor, my mother's name is--"

"Hold your tongue, you foolish fellow," cried Mr Rogers, as Dinny half rose in dismay, and asked if the boats were going up there.

"Shure, sor, I only wanted ye to know my pore mother's direction, so as ye could sind her word I was dhrowned in the big river out in Afrikky."

"Will they be able to take us up there, king?" said Mr Rogers. "Hadn't we better land, and let them drag the canoes round?"

The king laughed, and clapped his hands for the men to bend to their task, when they made the paddles flash in and out of the water, but it was soon evident that they would not surmount the rapids.

The boat Mr Rogers was in got half-way up, and then was carried back at a tremendous speed, being swept round by an eddy beneath some trees, to one of the branches of which Mr Rogers held on, and so steadied the canoe, while a stalwart black thrust down his paddle from the bows, and kept the great vessel steady.

Just then Dinny, who followed his master's actions as nearly as he could, laid hold of a goodly branch from the stern; but instead of taking the boat with him he thrust it away, and the next moment he was hanging from his branch, shouting "Masther!" and "Masther, dear!" with all his might.

"Faix and I knowed it would come to it," he yelled, as the branch swayed up and down, and his legs went lower and lower in the water. "There's a great crocodivil coming. Masther, darlin', bring back the boat."

This was done at last, but the black could scarcely paddle for laughing, and when the boat was under him poor Dinny hardly dared let go. He let himself subside in the bottom at last, and was wiping the perspiration from his face, and squeezing the water from his legs, when a shout from the big man in the bows drew Mr Rogers' attention, and he ran forward to see that the other canoe was upset, and that the men were being pitched into the rapids.

For they had made three efforts to get up, each time being driven back; and at the fourth they were so much weakened and so weary, that when about half-way up they wavered, the stream caught the head, twisted it broadside, and, in a moment, king, subjects, box, and barrel were tilted out, and all went floating rapidly down the stream.

The stalwart black in the bows needed no telling, and the boat Mr Rogers was in was sent down and across the stream below the rapids, picking up the king first, and then man after man, till Dinny, who was emptying the water out of his boots, declared that the boat was too full, and must sink.

It did not, however, and the overturned boat being guided ash.o.r.e, it was soon emptied and afloat again, with its crew looking none the worse, for, as Dinny said, it did not take their clothes long to dry.

The king was of Dinny's opinion, for his garments of English make being very clingy and uncomfortable, he imitated the uniform of his subjects, and as everything that had floated out had been recovered, they were once more ready for an attack upon the rapids.

But the king said no; they wanted more rowers; and Dinny uttered a loud "Hurroo!" as the canoes were allowed to float back towards the town, where they at last landed, to Dinny's great delight, safe and sound.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

WARM WORK IN THE WILDS.

"It was all through taking you, Dinny, that father had such bad sport, I know," said d.i.c.k.

"Shure the ongrat.i.tude of the human being is wonderful," said Dinny, addressing n.o.body. "Here, I save his parint's life by keeping him from going any farther and getting himself dhrowned."

"Ah, well, Dinny, you're not going to be drowned any more," said d.i.c.k; "father has decided to go on with the waggon to-morrow."

"Back home?" cried Dinny, slapping the shrunken leg of his trousers.

"No: farther away; after elephant and rhinoceros."

"Bad luck to the illiphant and rhinoceros!" cried Dinny. "But anyhow, we shall be on dhry land."

The king was disappointed at the party going so soon; but a present of a bottle of sweets, and some ammunition, brought smiles into his face-- smiles that grew broader as he heard that they would stop if possible at the town as they came back.

They started at sunrise, so as to get a good trek over before the heat of the day should commence, and with oxen well rested and in excellent condition they got over the ground pretty swiftly for an oxen-team. The horses too were fresh, and so full of excitement and fun that the dogs were taken, after the particular mountain to which they intended to make had been marked down; and the boys had a good canter, Coffee and Chicory thoroughly enjoying the excitement, and keeping up with the two cobs with the greatest ease.

The mountain was reached in due time, a midday halt indulged in, and after a good long rest they continued their journey, so as to get well beyond reach of Moseti's town, and away from the interruptions that might have resulted in their being too near the king. But the General had no intention of going far after the fine promise he had seen for game; and two days' march away from the town he proposed that they should halt, and make a good strong kraal for the horses in the place he selected.

It was admirably adapted for the purpose, there being an abundance of thorns, with a steep rocky escarpment to act as the back of the kraal.

Besides this, there was a spring of beautifully clear water gushing from amongst the rocks, which rose right up here into mountains.

The General's advice had always proved so good that the halt was called, and quite a fortification of thorns made, large enough to protect the cattle.

The fire was started again, and as much care taken as if they had been in an enemy's country. And so they soon found that they were, though their enemies were not near.