under him, nearly exhausted by its long exertions. What should he do?

Stop, give his horse a rest, and then return to his companions. This
was the command of common sense; but he was not guided by that. For the
time, he was insane with excitement, anxiety, and despair. He was mad,
and acted like a madman. The hopes and aspirations he had been for
months indulging in were concentrated into the hour; and in that hour he
could not yield them up. He was too much exasperated to reason calmly
or clearly. A little extra exertion on the part of his horse might
place him in advance of the three giraffes; and he might drive them back
to the river.

"Yes," exclaimed he, nearly frantic with the fear of losing what seemed
so nearly gained.

"If I cannot catch this young giraffe, I can drive it. I'll drive it to
Graaf Reinet. It shall not escape me!"

Plunging his spurs into the foam-covered flanks of his horse, he sprang
forward in advance of the three giraffes; and as he expected, they came
to a halt. Pulling up, he wheeled round facing them, while the two old
giraffes turned at the same time and made off in the back direction.

As they did so, one of them came in contact with the tottering calf,
that for a second or so, seemed to become entangled between its legs;
and at their separation, the young one staggered a pace or two and fell
heavily upon the earth.

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE.

A WEARY WATCH.

Throwing himself out of his saddle, Willem seized the fallen creature,
and hindered it from rising, by keeping its head close pressed against
the ground. This was easily done, for the long slender neck of the
animal, without much muscular strength, gave him a good chance of
holding it down. The weight of the huge hunter's body was sufficient
for that, without any exertion of his strength.

Meanwhile the old ones continued their flight, while Willem's horse,
relieved of his load, proceeded to refresh himself by browsing upon the
dry herbage that grew near. Willem had obtained what he wanted, a young
giraffe. It was actually in his possession. He was holding it under
perfect control, and yet it appeared to him that he was as far as ever
from the realisation of his hopes! Now that he had got the giraffe, all
that he could do was to keep it on the spot where it had fallen. The
instant its head might be released from his hold it would spring to its
feet again and escape in spite of all his efforts to retain it