e shoulders of the
charging beast.

No one thought of firing; but the whole party stood there watching the
novel sight, as a huge lion, which might have made one of them its
victim, fixed its teeth and claws in the neck and shoulders of the
rhinoceros; and as the furious frightened beast tore on down the defile,
dragging the lion with it, the latter seemed to give a spring, and fixed
its hind quarters firmly upon the tough pachyderm's back.

"Big lion much hungry," said Coffee quietly. "Nosros' skin very hard."

As he spoke Jack had gone down upon one knee, and sent a bullet after
the fast-receding pair, the echoes of the rifle report mingling with the
hoarse snorting bellow of the rhinoceros.

Dick, roused by his brother's example, also took aim and fired, his
father following last.

Then the two animals disappeared from view, evidently passing pretty
near the waggon, but fortunately missing the little valley where the
cattle were grazing.

"Coffee is right," said Mr Rogers; "that lion must have been ravenous,
or it would not have attacked such a beast as that. Well, boys, you
must keep a bright look out, for we, shall have to meet the enemy here."

"Hadn't we better go after the rhinoceros?" said Dick.

"What would be the use?" said his father; "the monster is going at a
tremendous rate. No: let's go higher up amongst the rocks."

They passed several snakes, and found one boa-constrictor, a
comparatively small one though, which Coffee and Chicory attacked as it
lay basking in the sunshine, its bright brown and yellow markings
glistening in the bright light.

The boys made their arrangements very quickly, and without the slightest
hesitation Coffee walked up to the reptile, and as it raised its head
menacingly he struck it down with a blow of his kiri, and a dexterous
chop from Chicory's long-bladed assegai took off its head.

What had before seemed a sluggish inert body, now, as in a former case,
became instantly endowed with spasmodic life, leaping from the stones,
twisting, twining, knotting itself, and then unfolding and reknotting
itself in the most extraordinary manner, the grey rocks around being
spattered with the blood from the bleeding neck, while the severed head
lay slowly gasping, and biting impotently at a few dry blades of grass.

Dick and Jack seemed as if they would have never tired of watching the
reptile, but their father suggested a move onward.

"How long do you think that was, fa