hough much more elegantly
shaped, for its legs were long and slender, and its shanks not thicker
than a common walking-cane. It was of a pale red colour, whitish along
the breast and belly, but its large, languishing eyes and slender
forking horns told me at once what sort of animal it was; it was the
prong-horned antelope,--the only species of antelope found in North
America.

"Mary new related the adventure. While they were sitting silently by
the fire, and somewhat impatiently awaiting our return--for the wagon
had delayed us considerably--they saw a pair of large eyes glancing in
the darkness like two candles, and not many yards from where they sat.
They could see nothing but the eyes; but this of itself was sufficient
to alarm them, as they fancied it might be a wolf, or, perhaps still
worse, a hear or panther. They did not lose presence of mind, however;
and they knew that to escape by running away would be impossible; so
both Frank and Harry took hold of their rifles--though Harry was
foremost with his. He then aimed, as well as he could, between the two
glancing eyes, and pulled trigger. Of course the smoke blinded them,
and in the darkness they could not tell whether the bullet had hit the
animal or not; but the dogs--who up to this time had been sleeping by
the fire--sprang to their feet, and ran out in pursuit. They could hear
them running for some distance, and then they heard a scramble and a
struggle, and then they were silent; so they concluded--what afterwards
proved to be the case--that Harry had wounded the animal, and that the
dogs had caught, and were worrying it. And so they were, for as the
boys got to the spot they had just killed it; and--hungry as they were--
would soon have made a meal of it had Frank and Harry not got up in good
time to prevent them. The antelope had been shot in the shoulder, and
had only run for a short distance before it fell.

"Although Harry did not boast of his prowess, I saw that he had a
triumphant look,--the more so as this fine piece of venison would ensure
us all against hunger for three days at the least; and, considering that
only an hour before we did not know where the next meal was to come
from, it was certainly no small matter to be proud of. I thought just
then of the surprise I had prepared for them, not only in bringing up
the wagon which contained all our utensils and comforts, but in the
recovery of our best ox.

"`Where is Cudjo?' asked my wi