tribe had been left
feasting, was an open plain, lit by the beams of a brilliant moon. Ten
or fifteen dark objects were seen moving slowly over its surface; and
leaning forward in their saddles, the hunters could see that they were
hippopotami. They rode gently towards them.

The animals, entirely unacquainted with the dangerous character of those
who were approaching, neither stirred from the spot nor took any notice
of the horsemen, until the latter were within close range of them.

"That seems to be one of the biggest of them," whispered Groot Willem,
pointing to a large bull that was browsing at less than a hundred paces
off. "I shall make sure of him. You, Hendrik, take another, and let us
both fire together."

Willem, as he spoke, raised the heavy death-dealing roer to his
shoulder. Taking aim for the centre of the head, he fired. The next
moment, the monster was seen staggering backwards, drawing its shattered
head along the ground.

It was not thinking of a retreat to the water,--of retiring through fear
of further danger, or of anything else. It was in the agonies of death!

This manner of action was not long sustained, for after trailing about
ten yards from where it was struck, it fell heavily on the earth and
turned over on one side, to move no more in life.

Hendrik had fired almost at the same instant of time; but for some
seconds, the creature to which his attention had been directed, made no
acknowledgment of the favour. It started off, and, along with the
others, made straight towards the lagoon.

For a time, Hendrik was again chagrined to think that the rival hunter
had been more successful than himself. His chagrin, however, was not
destined to long continuance; for on their way to the water, one of the
hippopotami was observed to tumble over in its tracks.

After loading their guns, the horsemen rode up to the prostrate animal
and found it struggling to rise. The bullet from Hendrik's rifle had
entered its right shoulder; and another from the same gun now put a
period to its struggles as well as existence.

The two hunters, not yet contented with their success, took cover under
a cluster of trees; and, dismounting from their horses, lay in wait to
see if the hippopotami would again oblige them by coming out upon the
plain. Neither in this watch were they disappointed. Occasionally,
they could hear the harsh bellowing of the animals as they came to the
surface of the water, and b