by lightening
the labours of Hans and Totty.

And so the work went merrily on until midnight, and even after that
hour, under the light of a full moon; by which time the diggers were
buried to their necks.

But they were now fatigued. They knew they could easily complete the pit
next day; and so they laid down their implements, and after performing
their ablutions in the crystal water of the stream, retired to their
sleeping-quarters in the tree.

By early dawn they were at it again, busy as bees; and the pit
progressed so rapidly that before they stopped to take breakfast, Von
Bloom could scarce see out of it standing on his toes, and the crown of
Swartboy's woolly head was nearly two feet below the surface. A little
more digging would do.

After breakfast they went to work as briskly as ever; and laboured away
until they considered that the hole was sunk to a sufficient depth. It
would have taken a springbok to have leaped out of it; and no quagga
could possibly have cleared itself from such a pit.

Poles and bushes were now cut; and the pit was neatly covered with
these, and strewed over, as well as a large tract of the adjoining
ground, with rushes and grass. The most sagacious animal would have been
deceived by the appearance; even a fox could not have discovered the
trap before tumbling into it.

They had completed the work before going to dinner,--which,
consequently, fell late on that day--so nothing more remained to be done
but to dine, and await the coming of the quaggas.

At dinner they were all very merry, notwithstanding the immense fatigue
they had gone through. The prospect of capturing the quaggas was very
exciting, and kept the party in high spirits.

Each offered a prognostication as to the result. Some said they
would trap three quaggas at the least; while others were more sanguine,
and believed they might take twice that number. Jan did not see why
the pit should not be full; and Hendrik thought this probable
enough--considering the way they intended to drive the quaggas into it.

It certainly seemed so. The pit had been made of sufficient width to
preclude the possibility of the animals leaping over it, while it was
dug lengthwise across the path, so that they could not miss it. The lay
of the ground would guide them directly into it.

It is true that, were they to be left to themselves, and permitted to
follow their usual method of marching--that is, in single file--only
one, the lead