self so that his face was turned towards the animals,
while he stood upon his head. Of course he could not see them while in
this position, as the grass was a foot high; but, at intervals, he
permitted his feet to descend to the earth; and then, by looking between
his legs, he could tell how the ruse was succeeding.

It _did_ succeed. The buck, on first perceiving the strange object,
uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a bird--
for the "ourebi" is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The doe
followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear.

The buck, perceiving this, suddenly halted--as if ashamed of his want of
gallantry--wheeled round, and galloped back, until he was once more
between the doe and the odd thing that had alarmed him.

What could this odd thing be? he now seemed to inquire of himself. It
was not a lion, nor a leopard, nor a hyena, nor yet a jackal. It was
neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his
well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not
double-headed as it appeared. What _could_ it be? It had kept its
place--it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No
doubt it was harmless enough.

So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a
little nearer. He would have a better view of the thing before he took
to flight. No matter what it was, it could do no hurt at that distance;
and as to _overtaking him_, pah! there wasn't a creature, biped or
quadruped, in all Africa that he could not fling dust in the face of.

So he went a little nearer, and then a little nearer still, and
continued to advance by successive runs, now this way and now that way,
zigzagging over the plain, until he was within less than a hundred paces
of the odd object that at first light had so terrified him.

His companion, the doe, kept close after him; and seemed quite as
curious as himself--her large shining eyes opened to their full extent,
as she stopped to gaze at intervals.

Sometimes the two met each other in their course; and halted a moment,
as though they held consultation in whispers; and asked each other if
they had yet made out the character of the stranger.

It was evident, however, that neither had done so--as they still
continued to approach it with looks and gestures of inquiry and wonder.

At length the odd object disappeared for a moment under the grass; and
then r