think much of the doctor's waterfall," Jack said to me, in his
dry drawling way.

"Why, we haven't seen it!" I replied.

"No, nor we ain't going to, seemingly. It's wind amongst the trees."

"Don't be so obstinate," I said, listening intently to hear the heavy
thunderous murmur still, now I listened for it, though I had not seemed
to notice it before.

"There ain't no waterfall," he replied, "or we should have seen it
before now."

"Perhaps the shape of the land keeps us from getting near it, or perhaps
the wind drives the sound away."

"Or perhaps the sound drives the wind away, or perhaps the--Look out,
Joe, look out!"

Jack Penny leaped aside nimbly, and I followed his example, hardly
escaping, while the man in front of me, less quick in his motion
consequent upon his having a load upon his head, was sent flying by a
great slate-coloured buffalo which had suddenly charged us from behind a
clump of trees where it had been lying.

It all happened so quickly that I had not time to think of my gun, while
the doctor was fifty yards behind, and could not have fired had he been
able to see, for fear of hurting us.

The great beast had stopped for a moment after sending our bearer
flying, and then, seeing him down, snorted a little, lowered his head,
and would doubtless have tossed and trampled him to death had there not
suddenly come a whirring whizzing noise from some bushes in a hollow on
our right, when something struck the buffalo a heavy blow upon the
muzzle, making it turn up its head, utter a furious roar, and charge at
the bushes.

This was my opportunity, and taking a quick aim I fired, and heard the
bullet strike with a heavy thud, when the buffalo seemed to drop upon
its knees on the steep slope, and literally turned a somersault,
crashing with a tremendous noise into some trees; and then, to my
astonishment, rising again and going off at a lumbering gallop.

It did not go far, for just then there was the sharp crack of the
doctor's piece, and once more the buffalo fell heavily, to lie
struggling, while, to my astonishment I saw a familiar black figure
bound out of the bushes, catch up the boomerang he had thrown, and then
race after the buffalo, which he reached just as the doctor also came up
and put it out of its misery by a merciful shot in the head.

"Jimmy killum! Jimmy boomerang killum!" shouted the black, dancing on
the prostrate beast, while Jack and I were busy helping the poor bearer