Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10

away, Tie WoTiu SANK INTO Suence 1OE u
moment.
"What?" said Lake.
Lion, sir" replied Abdu.
well, at last we've arrived" I re-
marked, and we went to bed.
In the darkness we lay on our cots lis
tening to the sounds that rose from the
pool below us. 1t was being violently
agitated by galvanic movements. Vast
bodies under perfect control were rush
ing to and fro. There we're gigantic
splaShings, frenzied pursuits and cosmic
gurglings. Chaos reigned. Ever and
anon some great body drew UP under
the bank where we lay, and uttered a
sigh that sounded like q gale Of wind in
the top of a pine forest. Life was album
dant, savage and vociferous.
AS we showed off for our morning
hunt Abdu approached.
when the gentlemen are away" he
said, I'VE have no way Of protecting the
camp If the Ab~yssiniars come. viii the
gentlemen be willing to leave me- a
rifie?"S
sI,m getting fed up with this stuff, )"
grumbled Lake. what do they think
this is, a mystery play?"
The gentlemen must remember that
II the A~byssinians come they cut our
threats and laugh. They are armed; we
are not. The government forbidS 1t.
Can you blame us for feeling uneasy?"
NO." said Lake. mot If they laugh
while they're cutting your throats."
SO, to cheer his lonesome moments,
we left Abdu a shotgun and a few
rounds of buck-shot.
Il know thing" said Lake. "As
long as he has that gun I don't come
within a quarter of a mile of this camp
without waving a flag of truce"
HALF an hour after leaving camp we
were stealthily treading narrow
gametrails through q dense thicket, Be-
meath our feet were many tracks. but
those that stirred our fancies most. but
added the glamour of suspense to the
scene, were the fresh tracks Of buffalo
fresh, and as large as soup plates.
Suddenly hating, Mubarak whispered
n word "Gamus." AS though he had
uttered a magic charm, we at once un-
derwent a mental and physical change.
We became tense, alert, predatory.
Slowly We crept forward. The bushes
finally yielded to a small open glade,
and In its midst the blush black backs
OF II lusty buffalo appeared above the
grass.
Closer we crept, and cioser-until 1t
seemed as though we could almost reach
out and touch them. Then one raised
its head, looked us straight in the eye
and let out a below. 1t might be said
he took the words right out Of my
mouth, for I was just on the edge Of
letting one myself. Convulsively, I gave
him a barrel Of the Cordite rifle. With
a crash he fell. Instantly another
faced us with blood-shot eyes. No less
convulsively I released the other barrel.
Down 1t went in turn. A sensation of
wild exultation swept over me. Two of
n most ruthless and dangerous ami
mails of Africa lay dead at my feet.
Nonchalantly - as killers dol broke
my rifle and started to tumble for a
cartridge.
Then, like q flash, the first one
jumped to its feet and dashed madly at
us. With protruding eyes I watched
him come. Dimly I heard Lake fire.
It sounded as though some one had let
oil a popgun in my ear. Again, the
buffalo dropped, this time to lie crum-
pied in IN irrevocable humiliation.
He lay - yards from me. I know 1t
was IL yards, for Euclid could have
measured 1t no more accurately.
Thanks" I said to Lake.
What for?" he asked.
lei you 1ater, ! TepLeQ.
In the meantime the other animal
had scrambled to its feet and entered
the tall grass.
Come on" said Lake.
I'VE don't go in there" I answered
decisively. 'They loop back on their
trail and wait for you like harpies."
But, then, Wild Bill uttered a series of
yodelS that made the welkin ring, and,
in spite of all U warnings, plunged
in followed by the rest Of the Shikaris.
I'VE can't let them go in there
armed and get themselves killed." COM
planned Lake, and popped in after them.
Il think I'd rather be with the gang
myself" I murmured after a look at
the tranapled glade, and. breaking one
OF the most elementary rules OF buffalo
hunting, followed.
A quarter Of a mile away Wild Bill
was baying like a bloodhound.
Hes freed it." said Lake.
what do you think this Is, a COON
hunt?" I expostulated.
We followed the blood : curdling
sounds to find that the buffalo had
sought sanctuary in q small, dense
patch Of bush. But the patch Of bush
was not i've yards from the trail we
followed. The beast had run true to
tradition and stood by his own trail
waiting for his unknown enemies. But
now he, was too sick to care, besides
like a matador with st. Vitus' dance
Wild Bill danced about him. The bat
tie was over.
From nowhere four camels and q
group of smiling "meat hunters" mate
rialized. The autopsy was brief, the
work of the shining knives efficient. An
hour later, in the n of q trium-
uhant pr0caSSi0n. We entered caYnn II
was about $50.