Off to the Wilds Part 44

"But it's such a pity to miss a chance," cried Jack, unslinging his rifle.

"Yes," said d.i.c.k, "so it is, but I shouldn't like father to think we did not attend to his signals. Mark the clump. There, we shall know it by these stones on this high ground; and--yes, Jack, you're right. That must be a giraffe."

They stood watching the tall neck pa.s.sing amongst the bushes, but it was getting very dark now, and they hurried on, so as to overtake the honey-bearers, reaching camp afterwards quite safely, where, over their late dinner, the coming of the giraffes was discussed.

"I'd have breakfast at daybreak, boys, if I were you," said Mr Rogers, "and be off directly after."

"But you'll come too, father?" said Jack.

"No, my boys, I thought you would like to have a hunt by yourselves,"

said Mr Rogers; when, seeing how disappointed the lads looked, he consented to come.

The General stopped to keep the camp, and Coffee and Chicory seemed terribly disappointed at not being of the party; but upon receiving permission to take the dogs for a run, and a hunt all to themselves, they brightened up, and saw their masters go off without a murmur.

It was a ride of some hours' duration to get to the high ground where the giraffe had been seen, the fact of there being one, Mr Rogers said, showing that there was a little herd somewhere close by, and so it proved, for after cautiously approaching the place, riding with the greatest care, so as to avoid the great ma.s.ses of stone hidden amongst the gra.s.s, three tall heads were seen peering about in a patch of trees quite half a mile away.

A quiet approach was contrived, the hunters making, their way round to the far side of the clump of bushes, where some higher trees sheltered their approach--very barely though, for the giraffe's long necks enabled them to peer over bushes and saplings of no mean height.

But for this shelter the little herd would have been off at once, and they could have followed them at little better than a walk, on account of the rough stones and ma.s.ses of rock.

Practice had made them skilful at stalking, and keeping pretty close together, they gradually approached the patch of tall growth, when, in obedience to a signal from Mr Rogers, they separated, d.i.c.k and Jack going in opposite directions, and Mr Rogers waiting for a few moments to let the boys get a start, and then entering the bush himself.

So well had the arrangement been timed, that father and sons met together just upon the other side, staring the one at the other.

"Why, where are the giraffes?" cried Jack.

"Yes, where are they?" said d.i.c.k, looking at his father, as if he thought he had taken them away. "Haven't you seen them?"

"Not I," said Mr Rogers, laughing. "Why, boys, we must be sharper than this another time."

"But when did they go?" cried d.i.c.k.

"I cannot tell," replied his father, "unless it was when we were out of sight. They must have suspected danger, and gone off at full speed."

"What's to be done now then?" said Jack.

"Get up to the top of the nearest hill, and look round with the gla.s.s,"

suggested d.i.c.k; and this was so evidently the best plan, that they started for an eminence about a mile away.

Here they had not been a moment, and Mr Rogers had not had time to get out the gla.s.s, before Jack cried,--

"There they go: I see them: scudding along through those bushes in the hollow there."

Stalking having proved unsuccessful the last time, they almost gave it up on this occasion, save that they trotted down the side of the hill away from the giraffes, and then cantered on so as to reach the same point as that for which the giraffes seemed to be making a long sweep of open plain, where they could put their horses to full speed.

This time the giraffes were in sight as they rounded the corner of the hill, and shouting to the boys to each pick out one, Mr Rogers pushed his horse forward, and selecting the tallest of the herd, galloped on to cut it off from the rest of the herd.

This needed little care, for the tall ungainly beast realised directly that it was being pursued, and separating from the herd, went off at a clumsy gallop, its neck outstretched, and its tail whisking about as it kept looking back at its pursuer.

Jack picked out another, which made for the denser part, where the trees were thick, and in his excitement he gave his cob the rein, and away they went at racing pace.

But Jack did not gain much upon the giraffe he had chosen, for almost before he had seen the colour of its spots at all closely, his horse, partic.i.p.ating in its master's eagerness, went at full speed under a long, low branch, and came out on the other side of the wood, but without Jack, who was swept violently out of his saddle by the low bough, which swung violently to and fro for a few moments, and then deposited Jack softly in a sitting posture upon the ground. The boy rose to rub his chest very softly, and then feeling to see whether he was all right, he went on in chase of his horse, which he overtook standing very patiently just outside the patch of forest, looking wonderingly at him, as if asking why he had left its back.

"What a nuisance!" grumbled Jack; "and I daresay they've both shot giraffes by this time. How unlucky, to be sure!"

He lifted the reins from his horse's feet, and thrusting them over its head, mounted again, but not comfortably, for Jack felt very sore across the chest where the bough had struck him.

From this post of vantage he could see his father in the distance still in chase of the giraffe; but though he looked in various directions, there was no d.i.c.k.

"Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoop!"

Jack started to look in the direction from whence the sound had come, but he could see nothing. He, however, responded to the call, and it was repeated, evidently from a patch of wood half a mile distant.

As he cantered towards it, the signal rang out again.

"d.i.c.k's brought down his giraffe very quickly," said Jack.

"Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoop!"

"Here! Hoi! Jack!" came now from pretty close to him--but in a dense part of the patch of trees; and riding up, there was d.i.c.k, with his horse standing perfectly still and looking at him.

"Come along," cried Jack. "Where's your giraffe?"

"I don't know. Where's yours?"

"Miles away. I galloped under a tree, and was pulled off my horse, such a bang."

"We came right into these thorns," said d.i.c.k, "and have been here ever since."

"What! can't you get out?"

"Get out? No. It's horrible. I'm caught all over, and poor old Shoes just the same. Directly I try to make him stir, he begins to kick, and when he kicks it's awful. They're like fish-hooks, and I'm torn to pieces."

Jack began to laugh.

"Ah, yes, you may laugh," said his brother; "but you wouldn't like it."

"No," laughed Jack, "but you do look such a jolly old guy stuck up there, I can't help laughing."

"But do try and help me out."

"How?" said Jack.

"Oh, I don't know. Stand still, Shoes, do! Oh, I say, don't kick again, pray don't! Good old horse then."

Shoes whinnied as his master patted and talked to him, but the thorns p.r.i.c.ked him so at even this light movement, that the poor animal stamped angrily, and snorted as he pawed the ground.

In spite of his intense desire to laugh, Jack saw that matters were really serious for his brother; and leaping off, he threw down his reins at his horse's feet, whipped out his great hunting-knife, and proceeded to cut and hack away the thorns by which his brother and his horse were surrounded.