After a time it grew louder, and the wood-cutters, perceiving that the
chase was again coming in their direction, stood watching and listening.
A second time the serow appeared crossing the open tract, and the dogs,
as before, close at his heels.

Once more all disappeared, and then, after a short interval, "hark back"
was the cry; and, to their surprise, Karl and the shikarree again saw
the wild dogs pressing the serow through the woods.

Now it appeared to both that the dogs might easily have overtaken the
antelope at any moment; for they were close up to his heels, and a
single spring, which any of them might have given, would have launched
them upon its flanks. Indeed, it appeared as if they were running it
only for their amusement, and at any moment could have overtaken it!

This observation of our wood-cutters was partially true. The wild dogs
could at any moment have overtaken the antelope, for they had done so
already; having turned it more than once. But for all that, they were
not running it out of mere sport. They were thus chasing the _game_
back and forward in order _to guide it to their breeding-place, and save
themselves the trouble of carrying its carcass thither_! This was in
reality what the wild dogs were about, and this accounted for their odd
behaviour. Ossaroo, who knew the wild dogs well, assured the Sahib
Karl, that such is their practice, that--whenever they have young ones--
they hunt the larger animals from point to point until they get them
close to their common burrowing place; that then they all spring upon
the victim, and worry it to death, leaving the puppies to approach the
carcass and mangle it at their pleasure!

The plant-hunter had already heard of this singular practice having been
observed in the "wild honden," or hunting-dogs of the Cape, and was
therefore less surprised at Ossaroo's account.

Of course it was not then that Karl and Ossaroo conversed upon these
topics. They were too busy in watching the chase, which once more
passed within twenty yards of the spot where they were standing.

The serow seemed now to be quite done up, and it appeared as if his
pursuers might at any moment have pulled him down. But this they
evidently did not wish to do. They wanted to drive him a little
farther.

The creature, however, was not going to accommodate them. He had run
enough. A very large tree stood in his way. Its trunk was many feet in
diameter, and great broad butt