forms gliding ghost-like toward the
water, which was evidently the recognised drinking place for most of the
game in the neighbourhood. And at length, when I had been standing
there for about twenty minutes, two pairs of lambent orbs loomed up
through the long grass, and Thunder and Juno came wriggling
apologetically to my feet, having apparently made their way back to the
spot where they had deserted me, and tracked me thence by scent.

I had by this time seen all that I wanted to see, or rather all that it
was possible to see; therefore, with a low-murmured call to the two
dogs, I set out to walk back through the misty landscape to the wagon,
taking the stars for my guide, since the fog had by this time become so
thick that it was difficult to distinguish anything beyond a hundred
yards distant in any direction. Fortunately I had walked little more
than a mile when shouts in Piet's high-pitched voice reached my ears,
and presently, guided by my shouts in reply, the Hottentot hove in
sight, mounted upon Tempest and leading the errant Jack by the bridle--
the latter having galloped straight to the wagon, as I had fully
expected he would; and half an hour later we rode into camp without
further adventure.

The first thing in order after our arrival was, of course, dinner, which
I found quite ready when I rode into camp, the _piece de resistance_
consisting of the widgeon which I had shot, and which Piet had found
still hanging across the pony's withers when Master Jack arrived in
camp, and had had sense enough to hand over to Jan to prepare. Then,
after dinner, the elephant gun and my rifle were brought forth from the
wagon and thoroughly cleaned by the light of the camp fire; and while
this was being done Piet and I anxiously discussed a programme for the
doings of the morrow, finally settled upon a more or less definite plan,
and made all the arrangements necessary for carrying it into effect;
after which the fire was made up, the oxen were driven in and tethered
to the trek tow, as a precaution against possible attack by lions, and
all hands turned in.

The night passed uneventfully and quietly, save for the constant barking
of the jackals and baboons and the occasional cry of a leopard or roar
of a lion; but we had by this time grown quite accustomed to such sounds
as these, and were not in the least disturbed by them, even the dogs
disdaining to take the slightest notice of them, except when the authors
appro