two, but also to obtain a slight insight into the habits
of the creature."

The trio addressed felt, one and all, slightly incredulous as to the
realisation of von Schalckenberg's sanguine surmises; but, remembering
the mammoths, they prudently kept their own counsel, and hastened away
to secure their rifles and to make their preparations for a possibly
long and tedious stalk. They exchanged their suits of dazzling white
nankeen for others of a thin, tough serge of a light greenish-grey tint,
which admirably matched the colour of the long grass through which the
stalk would have to be performed; and, in about a quarter of an hour
from the commencement of their preparations, found themselves standing
outside the huge hull of the ship, and in its shadow, making their final
dispositions for the chase. These arrangements were soon made. Sir
Reginald and the professor were to constitute one contingent, Lethbridge
and Mildmay the other; these last being impressively instructed by von
Schalckenberg to take up the most advantageous position possible for
intercepting the flight of the game, but on no account to shoot until
the others had first opened fire.

The two parties then went their several ways, reaching, at about the
same moment, the opposite extremities of the bush belt. The utmost
caution now became necessary in order to avoid startling the game, if
indeed the professor was right in his conjectures, and the hunters sank
down upon their knees and began a slow and tedious progress through the
long grass. The professor was fairly quivering with excitement, and all
his companion's efforts were ineffectual to prevent his rising
cautiously to his feet as soon as they had cleared the bush sufficiently
to allow of his obtaining a view beyond. For a moment or two he glared
anxiously around him, then dropped to his knees again as if shot.

"They are there," he gasped almost inarticulately, "sixteen of them; not
more than half a mile away."

"And what do `_they_' actually prove to be?" murmured the baronet. "Not
unicorns, of course?"

"Yes, _unicorns_! Animals with only one horn--the males, that is to
say. Some have no horns, and those I take to be females."

This was too much for Sir Reginald's curiosity. He, in his turn, rose
to his feet, ignoring the professor's agonised entreaties for caution,
and, sure enough, within half a mile of where he stood was a herd of
animals so closely resembling the unicorn which f