Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-18

idle hours on his hands; and what boy
could. under the circumstances, resist
an occasional ramble after the honey
bird, or in search Of ostrich eggs, or
OF some other treasure so pleasing to
boy nature?
The cattle, during their keepers
absence, generally proved quite capa-
BILE of taking care Of themselves. But
on one occasion, when the Hottentot
counted the herd over before driving
them home, he perceived that fine
COW was missing. In one of his truant
absences she had doubtless wandered
away from the rest To search for her
at that time was impossible, and he
could only trust to the carelessness
of the upper servants. who often ne
elected to count over the animals as
they entered the fold or kraal.
In this hope he was not deceived.
The loss passed unnoticed, and he re-
| solved it should be replaced, if posi-
BILE, before 1t was discovered. Without
telling any one, he set out at once, in
quest of the missing COW. He took
with him a little dried meat and gourd
containing water, and started at a
pace which few of his countrymen
could equal fleet of foot as they are.
| The dread of the whip of rhinoceros
hide made him forget the dangers of
his lonely journey. An hour or two Of
daylight still remained, and he had no
difficulty in finding the trail of the
lost animal. The unerring intelligence
of his race enabled him to distinguish
| 1t from that of any other of the herd.
and he followed it steadily until the
failing light hid it from his view. He
was now obliged to halt and give up
the pursuit for the night, and he did
SO. although he felt the greatest I'M
easiness for the safety of the COW.
His own safety also became a mat
ter of anxiety as the night closed in
and he found himself alone in that
desolate country, far from all human
| help. and without any means of de-
Tense. He was not long in resolving
what to do. He was determined, at
all hazards, to find his lost charge.
Besides. 1t would have been madness
to attempt to retrace his steps in
the dark; so. after marking with his
stick the spot at which he had left
the trail of the missing COW, he looked
about for some place in which he could
pass the night
Selecting an acacia tree which grew
close by, he lost no time in climbing
up and settling himself in fork of its
branches. He ate and drank sparingly
keeping supply of food for the NOR
row. Then he dashed himself to the
main branch of the tree with his waist
belt. crew his sheepskin blanket over
his head, and composed himself to
sleep.
1t was still night The silence was
broken only at intervals by the shrill
notes of the screech owl, the howl of
the jackal and the dreary laugh of the
hyena. But the Hottentot was too
well accustomed to these sounds to
be kept awake be them.
How long he slept he did not know.
but he was aroused by noise for diff
ferent from any of these which had
mingled with his dreams-a noise
which, once heard, could never be for
gotten. Full and deep rose the dread
full sound, waking all the echoes for
miles around, yet seeming to come
from under his very feet-the terrible
roar of hungry lion!
Loud as the noise was. it did not
fully awaken the tired boy, tough it
made him start till he strained the
belt which fastened him to the tree.
Bewildered and still half asleep, he
fancied for moment that he was ac-
tually falling into the paws OF lion.
Was the terrible sound dream?
A second roar thoroughly awaken
ed him. and looking down he saw in
the moonlight large black-maned
lion seated at the foot of the tree. The
eyes of the animal were fixed on the
boy, and his body was motionless.
save for an occasional angry lash of
his tail
1t was a dreadful moment, and the
hours which followed were more
dreadful still All through that awful
night the savage beast sat watching
his intended victim. The terrified
boy sat motionless, afraid to sir. al
most afraid to breathe. At last his
cramped attitude became unbearable.
Come what might, he felt that he
must stretch his stiffened limbs for
moment; and as noiselessly as posi-
Bile. he changed his position.
But he paid dearly for his momen-
tary relief; for, at his first cautious
movement, the lion rose with roar
and sprang at the tree. The Hotten.
tots blood ran cold. AS he threw
himself back and coiled his limbs into
still more cramped position he could
hear the deadly claws tearing at the
bark Of the tree with sound which
might well make his heart die within
him.
Again the disappointed animal took
up his post at the foot of the tree.
And now the moon began to wane. and
again the sudden darkness came down
on the face of the earth and brought
a brief respite to the prisoner in the
acacia tree.
Under its friendly shelter the lad
could at least stretch his stiff legs. In
spite of the horror of his situation, he
dozed from time to time, always wax.
ing with start, and wondering if all
this was reality or dream. He was
finally awakened by the raw, cold air
which precedes the dawn, and by a
herd of antelopes rushing nv