The Lamar register., 1919-11-19

Lord knows when We'll get there"
The wizened men led them upstream
and soon they were in the deep shade
Ut the nIgn roresr, but moi iUr ruuk.
In ten minutes they traversed 1t, for
1t was nothing but tongue, long
screen extending from elephant 1sh
to river. Scarcely had they left Its
shelter when the three hunters paused
and with them MsungO. Andrea
pressed forward.
The soggy ground was pock-marked
with great holes OF varying sizes; the
smallest foot in circumference, the
largest, three. Females and young
sters." murmured Msungo in eXplana-
tion, 'all trash" He stood quite still,
his eyes travelling rapidly over a wide
radius, pauslng suddenly when the
trucker thoughtfully touched grass
blade with his toe or another boy SOL
emnly measured spOor with his feet
placed one ahead of the other. looked
up inquiringly and retired in confusion
at the kindly sneer on the faces Of the
hunters.
"Why are you waiting?" asked An
drea impatiently.
Msungo flashed a look at her.
"Waiting?" he whispered. Were not
waiting. Every man here, according
to his lights, is reading. You saw
that cheeky gunbearer measure
spoor and then withdraw with hang
dog look. He thought he had spotted
male bull. He has made himself
ridiculous for year. Tonight you'll
h.. taIl ha tnb on him
over and over again. But the tracker
touches a blade OF grass bent one way
with his toe and presently you'll see
him with a twig broken In the oppo-
site direction. There he goes now.
He looks as II he were day-dreaming.
doesn't her"
Andrea nodded.
swell, he isn't" continued M'sungo.
by now he has read the whole story.
He knows how many females made
this mess Of a trail and how many
young. He knows when they came
and when they went. He could ill In
their stay with dozen Incidents. each
one complete in itself. such as where
a youngster slipped. fell. squealed and
got spanked by his mother. But such
trimmings Of details impress them
selves only on his subconscious mind.
In reality his whole attention is fixed
on the main chance. By the season Of
the year he knows that this herd Is not
travelling alone. The track of the
males Is nearby. II we didn't have
the three old hunters we would 60 up
the bank Of the river until we struck
1t. but we don't have to because they
found II by chance this morning at the
first streak Of dawn"
While he talked, the tracker stud
led, the three wizened sat aloof. taking
snuff. Now, at a nod from M'sungo.
they arose and proceeded swiftly
along the margin Of the big trees.
Presently they swerved to the left and
plunged through underground to a
well-marked path. In the fine dust
Of that runway Andrea saw the iden-
tical monster spoor that the old black
had drawn with his finger on the
ground beside her breakfast table.
Another halt was called. The track.
er squatted by one spoor and then an
other He held up three fingers.
"AIl mnlesf' said Msungo.
The tracker nodded.
big onesr" said Msungo. with that
half-smile Of exaltation-
The boy grinned.
Msungo touched the edge OF the
mighty spoor with his toe. "Mculor
"Stalecka :" murmured the tracker.
and rolled his eyes up into the trees.
He says it's u whopper." whispered
Msungo and promptly went into ac'
tion. He took of his Jacket and jer.
sey. rolled up his sleeves and frightened
his belt. The tracker stripped to his
breech- clout and took from one Of the
wizened a slender-shafted assegai.
The three old hunters laid aside the
rifles they had been carrying and the
gunbearers quietly picked them up.
M'sungo turned to Andrea. "Get on
the donkey" he ordered. When she
was mounted her eyes were on level
with his own. Listen" he said.
You'll ride now. because when we
strike the bush you can't. Please lis
zen because from now until the kill
nobody is going to speak TO you and
If you should say word out loud you
might get six inches Of spear In the
excitement of the moment"
Go ahead: won't speak" said An
drea. and pressed her lips together.