is only a smaller wolf, and the common
or brindled hyena, inhabit these countries; so that it was difficult to
say which of all these ravenous creatures had committed the depredation.
Ossaroo's opinion was, that it was done by _dogs_, not wolves; and,
perhaps, by the very pack that had that day been seen in pursuit of the
antelope. It made no great difference, as far as that went; for these
same wild dogs are in reality more wolf than dog, and in habits quite as
ferocious and destructive as the wolves themselves. But to return to
Ossaroo and his adventure.

When the shikarree arrived on the ground where the meat had been left,
he was not much surprised to see a number of wild dogs skulking about.
Half a dozen of them were standing under the joint, where it hung from
the branch; some of them in the act of springing upward, and all of them
regarding the tempting morsel with fierce, hungry looks. The offal and
"giblets" they had already disposed of, so that not the smallest
fragment could be seen lying about. What Ossaroo regretted most was,
that he had brought with him neither bow nor arrow nor spear, nor, in
short, any thing in the shape of a weapon. Even his long knife he had
left behind, in order that he might carry the large joint with greater
ease.

On seeing the hated dogs, however, he could not resist the temptation of
having a shy at them; and, gathering up a handful of bulky stones, he
rushed into their midst, and pelted at them right and left.

The dogs, startled by this sudden onslaught, took to their heels, but
Ossaroo could not help observing that they did not appear to be so badly
frightened; and, some of them that left the ground sulky and growling,
stopped at no great distance from the spot, and appeared half inclined
to come back again!

It was the first time in his life that Ossaroo felt something like fear
of the wild dogs. He had been in the habit of chasing them on sight,
and they had always scampered off at the sound of his voice. These,
however, seemed to be larger and fiercer than any he had before
encountered, and it was evident there was fight in them. It was nearly
dark, and at night such animals are much bolder than during the
daylight. Night is, in fact, their true time for rapine and desperate
deeds. Ossaroo reflected, moreover, that these dogs had, in all
probability, never before encountered man, and were, therefore, less
inclined to fear or flee from him.

It was not witho