through the heart. Strangely enough the other buffaloes did not at once
run away. On the contrary, they seemed puzzled to account for the sudden
noise; and, not being able to wind anything, lifted their heads and
stared round them.

The pause gave Hadden space to get in a fresh cartridge and to aim
again, this time at the old bull. The bullet struck him somewhere in the
neck or shoulder, for he came to his knees, but in another second was up
and having caught sight of the cloud of smoke he charged straight at it.
Because of this smoke, or for some other reason, Hadden did not see him
coming, and in consequence would most certainly have been trampled or
gored, had not Nahoon sprung forward, at the imminent risk of his own
life, and dragged him down behind an ant-heap. A moment more and the
great beast had thundered by, taking no further notice of them.

"Forward," said Hadden, and leaving most of the men to cut up the heifer
and carry the best of her meat to camp, they started on the blood spoor.

For some hours they followed the bull, till at last they lost the trail
on a patch of stony ground thickly covered with bush, and exhausted by
the heat, sat down to rest and to eat some _biltong_ or sun-dried flesh
which they had with them. They finished their meal, and were preparing
to return to the camp, when one of the four Zulus who were with them
went to drink at a little stream that ran at a distance of not more than
ten paces away. Half a minute later they heard a hideous grunting noise
and a splashing of water, and saw the Zulu fly into the air. All the
while that they were eating, the wounded buffalo had been lying in
wait for them under a thick bush on the banks of the streamlet,
knowing--cunning brute that he was--that sooner or later his turn would
come. With a shout of consternation they rushed forward to see the bull