he hunters making, their way round to
the far side of the clump of bushes, where some higher trees sheltered
their approach--very barely though, for the giraffe's long necks enabled
them to peer over bushes and saplings of no mean height.

But for this shelter the little herd would have been off at once, and
they could have followed them at little better than a walk, on account
of the rough stones and masses of rock.

Practice had made them skilful at stalking, and keeping pretty close
together, they gradually approached the patch of tall growth, when, in
obedience to a signal from Mr Rogers, they separated, Dick and Jack
going in opposite directions, and Mr Rogers waiting for a few moments
to let the boys get a start, and then entering the bush himself.

So well had the arrangement been timed, that father and sons met
together just upon the other side, staring the one at the other.

"Why, where are the giraffes?" cried Jack.

"Yes, where are they?" said Dick, looking at his father, as if he
thought he had taken them away. "Haven't you seen them?"

"Not I," said Mr Rogers, laughing. "Why, boys, we must be sharper than
this another time."

"But when did they go?" cried Dick.

"I cannot tell," replied his father, "unless it was when we were out of
sight. They must have suspected danger, and gone off at full speed."

"What's to be done now then?" said Jack.

"Get up to the top of the nearest hill, and look round with the glass,"
suggested Dick; and this was so evidently the best plan, that they
started for an eminence about a mile away.

Here they had not been a moment, and Mr Rogers had not had time to get
out the glass, before Jack cried,--

"There they go: I see them: scudding along through those bushes in the
hollow there."

Stalking having proved unsuccessful the last time, they almost gave it
up on this occasion, save that they trotted down the side of the hill
away from the giraffes, and then cantered on so as to reach the same
point as that for which the giraffes seemed to be making a long sweep of
open plain, where they could put their horses to full speed.

This time the giraffes were in sight as they rounded the corner of the
hill, and shouting to the boys to each pick out one, Mr Rogers pushed
his horse forward, and selecting the tallest of the herd, galloped on to
cut it off from the rest of the herd.

This needed little care, for the tall ungainly beast realised directly
that it was being