ood as it poured from his nose; but there I remained like
a stone, and he was fairly afraid to tackle me again. I know a buffalo
and an ox are very sensitive about the nose, and a cat, if just tapped
on the nose, can't stand it; so I thought a lion might be the same, and
so it proved, or I should not be here to tell you the story. I think we
may have good sport up the country," continued Hans, "and lions may be
plentiful."

"I don't go out of my way to shoot lions," replied Hofman. "There is
more danger with a lion than even with an elephant, and when you have
shot a lion, what is he worth? His skin will not fetch thirty
rix-dollars, and his teeth are only used for ornaments. Now if you kill
an elephant, he is worth twenty or thirty pounds at least. So I will
leave the lions to you, Hans, and I will go after the elephants; but
shall we arrange our shooting laws?"

"Yes, we had better do so now," replied Hans, "before we come to any
large game."

"Well, my plan always has been, let us shoot for food in turns; or if we
all shoot together, divide the meat amongst us. When we come to
elephants, let it be that the first bullet entitles the shooter to half
the ivory; and whoever puts in another bullet, to a share. What say you
to this, men?"

"It is not good," said Hans; "for men will shoot wild in order just to
get a bullet into an elephant, and may thus spoil sport. I propose that
whenever we are together, and kill our game together, we mark the tusks,
and all share alike. If we are alone, and kill alone, the tusks belong
to whoever kills. We are honest men and tried; none of us will shirk
his fair risk, and no man will shoot the worse because he knows his
friend may get a share of the ivory."

"Hans' plan is the best," exclaimed several.

"I have seen friendships lessened by the disputes over dead elephants,"
exclaimed Victor, "and Hans' plan will prevent disputes. If you and I
fire together, we may both think our bullet struck the elephant first.
It is better to share, or to shoot alone."

"My Kaffir tells me we shall find elephants in plenty up the country.
Now if we could but capture a young elephant, and bring him safely back
to Natal, we should make much money, for I hear in England they will pay
large sums for a live animal from Africa."

"The English must know very little of Africa, and of the game here,"
said Hans. "They are, I have heard, all crowded together in that
country, and have no ele