the
Hottentot, turned the buckboard off the road, headed toward the distant
quarry, and charged at full speed! Over stones we went that sent us feet
into the air, down and out of shallow gullies that seemed as though they
would jerk the pole from the vehicle with a grand rattlety-bang, every
one hanging on for his life. I was entirely occupied with the state of
my spinal column and the retention of my teeth, but McMillan must have
been keeping his eye on the game. One peculiarity of the wildebeeste
is that he cannot see behind him, and another is that he is curious. It
would not require a very large bump of curiosity, however, to cause any
animal to wonder what all the row was about. There could be no doubt
that this animal would sooner or later stop for an instant to look for
the purpose of seeing what was up in jungleland; and just before
doing so he would, for a few steps, slow down from a gallop to a trot.
McMillan was watching for this symptom.

"Now!" he yelled, when he saw it.

Instantly Michael threw his weight into the right rein and against the
brake. We swerved so violently to the right and stopped so suddenly
that I nearly landed on the broad prairies. The manoeuvre fetched us up
broadside. The small black syce-and heaven knows how HE had managed to
hang on-darted to the heads of the leading mules. At the same moment the
wildebeeste turned, and stopped; but even before he had swung his head,
McMillan had fired. It was extraordinarily good, quick work, the way he
picked up the long range from the spurts of dust where the bullets hit.
At the third or fourth shots he landed one. Immediately the beast
was off again at a tearing run pursued by a rapid fusillade from the
remaining shots. Then with a violent jerk and a wild yell we were off
again.

This time, since the animal was wounded, he made for rougher country.
And everywhere that wildebeeste went we too were sure to go. We hit
or shaved boulders that ought to have smashed a wheel, we tore through
thick brush regardless. Twice we charged unhesitatingly over apparent
precipices. I do not know the name of the manufacturer of the buckboard.
If I did, I should certainly recommend it here. Twice more we swerved to
our broadside and cut loose the port batteries. Once more McMillan
hit. Then, on the fourth "run," we gained perceptibly. The beast was
weakening. When he came to a stumbling halt we were not over a hundred
yards from him, and McMillan easily brought