hey motioned to him to
come out and shoot them. He at once nodded.

As they were about to follow him back to camp, for their bows and
arrows, he shook his head and signed to them to stay where they
were; and going off by himself, returned with his bow and arrow
and, to the surprise of the boys, the skin of an ostrich.

To show the lads what he intended to do, he put on the skin,
sticking one arm up the long neck, his black legs alone showing. He
now imitated the motions of the bird, now stalking along, now
picking up bits of grass, and this with such an admirable imitation
of nature that Ned and Tom shouted with laughter.

The three then set off together, taking a line which hid them from
the view of the ostriches. The Indian at last led them to a small
eminence, and signed to them to ascend this, and there to lie down
and watch the result. On arriving at their post, they found
themselves about a quarter of a mile from the group of great birds.

It seemed a long time before they could see any signs of the
native, who had to make a long detour so as to approach the birds
upwind. About a hundred and fifty yards from the spot where they
were feeding was a clump of bushes, and presently the lads suddenly
beheld an ostrich, feeding quietly beside this clump.

"There was no bird near those bushes two minutes ago," Tom said.
"It must be the Indian."

Very quietly, and by degrees, the ostrich approached the group.
When within four yards of them the ostrich, as if by magic,
vanished; and an Indian stood in his place. In another moment his
bow twanged, and the ostrich next to him fell over, pierced through
with an arrow; while the rest of the flock scattered over the
plain, at an immense speed.

Ned and Tom now rose to their feet and ran down the slope to the
Indian, who was standing by the dead bird. He pulled out the tail
feathers and handed them to them; cut off the head and legs; opened
and cleaned the body; and then, putting it on his shoulder, started
again for the camp.

For another week they remained in the Indian village, and in that
time picked up a good many native words. They then determined that
they must be starting on their westward journey. They therefore
called upon the chief and explained to him by signs, eked out with
a few words, that they must leave him and go towards the setting
sun.

The grief of the chief was great, as was that of the tribe, when he
communicated the tidings to them. There was