An indistinct shape showed through the bush as they made their way forward but they could not make out what it was and hesitated to fire. They knew that the rhinoceros is guarded by numbers of tick birds and concluded from the birds flying above the bushes that this was a rhino. They got to within eighty yards before alarming the beast. Then came a crashing and swishing of the bush and out stalked a big rhino, sniffing the wind and advancing slowly toward them.
"Get behind that ant hill!" exclaimed Critch. Separating, they took up positions beside two of the conical mounds. "Got your big gun? Go to it!"
Lifting his rifle, Burt fired. He had aimed at the shoulder of the great beast but to his dismay the shot seemed to have absolutely no effect. Instead of dropping, the rhino threw up its tail and ears, gave a little squeal and started for Burt.
Burt fired again at fifty yards. His bullet struck the rhino in the head and glanced off, serving only to increase the rage of the brute. He broke into a lumbering gallop and Burt yelled to Critch to fire.
The latter obeyed but in his haste missed entirely with his first bullet and with his second only tore the rhino's left ear slightly. Burt raised his own gun and aimed at the eye. Again his shots had no effect, for he missed the delicate mark afforded by the eye and both bullets glanced from the armor.
"Duck!" yelled Critch, dancing up and down. "He can't see! Duck!"
Burt ducked, for the rhino was within ten yards and thundering straight at him. Dropping his gun he sprang behind the ant hill and around it. But the animal had seemingly anticipated this or had turned its charge at Critch, for Burt almost leaped on the tossing horn of the beast.
With one wild spring backward he ploughed headfirst into the grass. He heard both barrels of Critch's heavy gun. As he wriggled up he saw the rhino, not ten feet away, stop short as the terrific charge struck him behind the shoulder. For an instant he wavered, then sank to the ground dead.
A wild burst of yells sounded behind as Burt arose. The Bantus had observed the affair and when they saw the rhino fall, ran forward with high glee, while just over the crest of the rise appeared the caravan.
Burt walked over to his chum with somewhat shaky steps and held out his hand without a word, for something kept him from speaking.