of course, instantly
charged him.

Umkopo vanished, and our friend the rhino galloped at steam-engine pace
right through the bush, behind which he seemed to disappear. This, I
felt, was intended by Umkopo as an opportunity for me to recover my
rifle, and I stepped quickly out from my hiding-place and leaped
towards it; I seized it, and looked round.

By all that was horrible, the great beast had heard me, and with
marvellous rapidity had wheeled and was already almost upon me! Well, I
have never done anything so quickly in all my life as at that moment. I
simply flung myself, in a kind of flying leap, back into my thorn-bush,
cleared it, and lay down on the other side.

In a quarter of a second the rhino had passed like a flash of
substantial lightning through the bush and beyond, galloping almost over
me as I lay, and almost kicking me with his hind leg. I twisted myself
round to the other side of the bush while his impetus carried him
forward, and by the time I was able to peer out at him, he was already
twenty-five yards away, and facing once more in my direction.

I pointed my rifle very carefully, and was about to pull trigger, when
the rascal saw me, and instantly he was again in motion. I fired, but
without proper aim, and though my bullet struck him in the chest it did
not stop him.

He was now scarcely fifteen yards from me, and I almost gave myself up
for lost. I was about to pull trigger a second time, when suddenly there
darted between me and the charging brute a human form--Umkopo.

The rhino swerved from his course to follow him, and just missed him as
he turned, Umkopo dodging like a hare; and, turning again, the beast was
in a moment in full pursuit.

Umkopo swerved and dodged, but the rhino, bulky, ponderous,
awkward-looking beast as he was, followed his movements with great
rapidity, gaining upon him, instead of losing ground at each swerve and
turn.

Umkopo's intention was plain: in the first place to deflect the beast's
charge when I was in danger, and, that accomplished, to lead him past my
ambush in order that I might have the opportunity of a flank shot.

The whole thing occupied but sixty seconds or less. They passed my
thorn-bush, Umkopo leading by five yards, and I fired twice at the
brute's shoulder as he hurtled by. At the same instant Umkopo tripped
and fell. The rhino fell also, apparently right over him, but in an
instant Umkopo rose from beneath him, unhurt. The rhino was dead