gh enough, the meat might be easily hung so as to
be out of reach of the hyenas. The only question was, how to place the
cross-poles a little higher. In the darkness they could not obtain a
new set of uprights, and therein lay the difficulty. How were they to
get over it?

Hans had the credit of suggesting a way: and that was, to take out some
of the uprights, splice them to the others, with the forked ends
uppermost, and then rest the horizontal poles on the upper forks. That
would give a scaffold tall enough to hang the meat beyond the reach of
either jackals or hyenas.

Hans's suggestion was at once adopted. Half of the uprights were taken
up and spliced against the others so as to raise their forks full twelve
feet in the air; and then the cross-poles were rested over their tops.
By standing upon one of the wagon-chests, Von Bloom was able to fling
the strips of meat over the horizontal poles, and in such a manner that
it hung only a few inches down, and was now quite beyond the reach of
the ravenous brutes.

When the business was finished, the party resumed their station under
the shadow of the tree, intending to watch for a while, and see how the
wolfish intruders would act.

They had not long to watch. In less than five minutes the troop
approached the biltongue, howling, and gibbering, and laughing, as
before; only this time uttering peculiar cries, as if to express
disappointment. They saw at a glance that the tempting festoons were no
longer within their reach!

They were not going to leave the ground, however, without assuring
themselves of this fact; and several of the largest approached boldly
under the scaffolds, and commenced leaping up to try the height.

After several attempts, springing each time as high as they were able,
they appeared to grow discouraged; and no doubt would in time have
imitated the fox with the grapes, and gone quietly away. But Von Bloom,
indignant at being roused after such a fashion, from his pleasant rest,
was determined to take some revenge upon his tormenters; so he whispered
the word to the others, and a volley was delivered from behind the tree.

The unexpected discharge caused a quick scattering of both hyenas and
jackals, and the pattering of their numerous feet could be heard as they
ran off. When the ground under the scaffold was examined, two of the
larger of these ravenous quadrupeds, and one of the smaller, were found
to have bitten the dust.

Swart