nd shook its head, and they saw it try to
turn it, as if to touch a tender or ticklish place with its nose.

The next moment there was another report, as Mr Rogers fired, and the
thud that followed told of a fresh hit.

The rhinoceros shook its head again, whisked round in the most absurd
way, and went off at a clumsy gallop, followed by a couple more shots
from the boys' rifles.

"Waste of lead! waste of lead!" cried Mr Rogers, cantering up. "Well,
what do you think of the rhinoceros?"

"Oh, what a brute, father!" cried Dick, remounting. "Let's go on after
it. He's badly hit."

"He's hit, certainly," said Mr Rogers; "but unless you can well choose
your spot those shots of ours would do very little more than make a sore
place under the creature's hide. He's like an old-fashioned man-at-arms
in his buff jerkin."

"But let's go after it, father," cried Jack.

"No, I would not to-day, my boy. `Discretion,' you know, is the better
part of valour, and the horses are overdone as it is. We shall know
where to go another time, so let it rest for the present."

"But that great brute will be rushing out at us at all sorts of times,"
said Jack.

"Then you must keep the better look out. If you fire at it again, you
must aim before the shoulder, mind; take him as he's coming, if you
don't feel too nervous."

Jack looked at his father, and then at Dick, and then they both laughed.

"Well father, it does make you feel queer to have that great brute
thundering down upon you," said Dick.

"You would be curious beings if you did not," said Mr Rogers, laughing.
"But you must take care, boys, for the rhinoceros is a very dangerous
beast; and it will charge at anything, even at a tree if it is in its
way."

"Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!" laughed Jack.

"What are you laughing at?" said his father.

"I was just thinking that I should like to see that great brute after
Dinny, and Dinny scuffling up a tree to get out of its way."

"Yes, it would be good fun," said Dick; "but I should like Dinny to have
a good start."

"He would need it," said Mr Rogers gravely; and they rode on gently
back to the camp.

There was fresh news here, for both the General and Coffee had to report
that they had seen rhinoceros, and upon comparing notes, it was very
evident that it could not be the same, unless the creature could have
been in three places at once.

This was promising, for, in spite of the danger, they all wanted to
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