rst breakfast at the new camping-place.

"Yes," replied Hendrik, "Willem has one day the start of us in
adventures, but I dare say fortune will favour us ere long."

"She has favoured us all I think," said Willem. "How could we have a
better prospect of success? There is apparently an abundance of game;
and we have found people willing to assist us in getting at it,--willing
to perform most of the toil and leave us all of the sport."

"You are quite right," said Hendrik; "our brightest hopes could not have
been crowned by a more favourable commencement, although two days ago we
were repining. What do you say, Swartboy?" he added, turning to the
Bushman; "are you content?"

"I berry much content, Baas Hendrik," answered Swartboy, with an
expression that did not confirm his words.

That day the young hunters, leaving Swartboy and the Kaffir in charge of
the camp, made a visit to the lagoon, where they expected to find
hippopotami.

They passed by the place where Groot Willem had killed the leopard, and
observed that the bones of that animal, mingled with those of the
faithful Smoke, were scattered over the ground, clean-picked of their
flesh by the jackals and hyenas.

Half a mile farther on they reached the lagoon; and while riding along
its shore, they all pulled up to listen to an unfamiliar and
indescribable sound, that seemed to proceed from two dark objects just
visible above the surface of the water. They were the heads of a brace
of sea-cows. The animals were making towards them, uttering loud cries
that could not be compared with anything the hunters had previously
heard. Any attempt to kill them in the water would only have resulted
in a waste of ammunition; for, with only the eyes and nose above the
surface, there was no chance for a bullet to strike them with fatal
effect.

The monsters showed some intention of coming out and making war; but, on
getting nearer, they changed their design, and, turning about,
floundered off out of reach.

Before proceeding many yards farther, they saw three other hippopotami,
this time not in the water, but out upon the plain. They were browsing
on the grass, unconscious that an enemy was near.

"Let us get between them and the water," suggested Willem. "By that
means we will make sure of them."

Riding forward at a sharp pace, the hunters succeeded in this design;
and, for a time, the retreat of the hippopotami appeared impossible.

Instinct does not lead