sed; and the stream
flowed calmly on, sweeping away the mud and sand, and revealing the body
of the monster, apparently quite dead, at the bottom of the shallow
water.

Generally speaking these reptiles get away into the depths of the
rivers, or into some deep hole beneath the banks, but this one had
apparently been hit so badly that it had not had time to get away, and
the sight of the monster so excited the boys, that they begged hard to
have it dragged out on to the strand.

"But it is of no use, and its musky odour will be very offensive," said
Mr Rogers.

"But we want to see it, father--to measure it, and see how long it is,
and how big round."

"Very well," said Mr Rogers, "then you shall. Peter, get one of the
oxen and a rope, and we'll drag the brute ashore. Dinny, go and ask the
General to come."

The Zulu chief, and Peter with his ox, arrived at about the same time,
when no sooner did the former hear what was wanted than he made a big
loop, waded into the water, and slipped the noose over the monster's
head.

This noose was pulled tight, the rope attached to the yoke of the ox,
the word given, and the crocodile drawn not only out of the water on to
the strand, but through an opening in the rock and on to the firm ground
above.

Here the General proceeded to unfasten the rope, Mr Rogers curiously
examining the mark made by his bullet just behind the creature's eye,
when, to the astonishment of all present, the reptile made a tremendous
snap with its awful jaws, and as the General darted aside, the creature
began to thrash the air with its tail, sweeping it from side to side,
and snapping its jaws as it began to move off towards the edge of the
little cliff.

Both Dick and Jack stood there paralysed for a few moments, for they had
believed the reptile dead; but Dick soon recovered, and as the crocodile
was slowly progressing, snapping its jaws menacingly as it went, the boy
went close up and fired at its eye.

There was a terrible convulsion; then the monster levelled shrubs and
herbage in all directions, after which it suddenly seemed to succumb,
when getting Peter to help him, the Zulu thrust one of the reptile's
legs beneath it, got hold of the other, and the crocodile was hauled
over upon its back, and the keen knife of the Zulu cut its head nearly
off, and ripped it open from end to end.

"He'll never get over this," said Jack. "I dare say this wretch has
killed hundreds of innocent creatu