significance of the
animal's name was now apparent. Charging a breech-loader is rapid work,
but the flock was nine hundred or a thousand yards off before I could
again take aim. In despair I fired and sent a bullet into the midst of
them, but without touching one.

I now turned to look at the "boy," who was sitting on his pony with both
eyes nearly shut, and a smile so wide that the double row of his teeth
were exposed to the very last grinders!

But he became extremely grave and sympathetic as I turned towards him,
and made a remark in Dutch which was doubtless equivalent to "better
luck next time."

Remounting I rode to the edge of the clump of bushes and found several
of my companions, some of whom carried the carcasses of springboks at
their cruppers. Hope revived at once, and I set off with them in search
of another flock.

"You've failed, I see," remarked my friend Jonathan Hobson in a
sympathetic tone.

Ah! what a blessed thing is sympathy!

"Yes," said I; "my shots fell short."

"Don't let that discourage you," returned Jonathan, "you're not used to
the Karroo. Distance is very deceptive. Sighting one's rifle is the
chief difficulty in these regions, but you'll soon come to it."

Another flock of springboks was discovered at this moment on a distant
knoll, towards which we trotted, trippled, and cantered. We quickly
scattered,--each man taking his own course. Six-foot Johnny, already
burdened with a buck, went off at reckless speed. He soon came near
enough to cause the game to look up inquiringly. This made him draw
rein, and advance with caution in a sidling and indirect manner. In a
few minutes the boks trotted off. We were now within long range, and
made a dash at racing-speed to head them. The creatures absolutely
played with us at first, and performed some of their astounding leaps,
as if for our special amusement. Had they set off at full speed at once
we should not have had a chance, for they are fleeter than horses.
Their manner of leaping is _a la_ indiarubber ball. It is not a bound
forwards, but a "stott" straight upwards,--six, eight, or nine feet,
without apparent effort, and displaying at each bound a ridge, or fold,
of pure white hair on their backs which at other times is concealed.

We now "put on a spurt," and the leading men got near enough--between
two and three hundred yards. They dismounted, dropped their bridles,
and kneeled to take aim. Brownarms fired and brou