They kept at a respectful distance, though; not on account of the guns and rifles, for they seemed to know that they would not be molested, but because of the dogs, who resented their attendance as an insult, and as likely to deprive them of many a pleasant bone.
Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus would make a dash at the great birds whenever they saw them upon the plain, charging down upon them open-mouthed, while Rough’un went at them in a way full of guile, hanging his head down, and keeping his nose close to the ground, as if in search of something he had lost. He never seemed to be taking the slightest notice of the vultures, even turning his head away, but all the time he was sidling nearer and nearer, till feeling that he was within easy reach, he would make a dash at the nearest bird.
But Rough’un succeeded no better than Pompey and his brethren, for the vultures would take a few hops, spread their wings, and float up in the air, as the dog rushed under them, leaving him barking most furiously at the birds as they went.
“Ah, they’re avil-looking birruds, thim vultures,” said Dinny, “and we’d never suffer ’em in ould Oireland. Shure, Saint Pathrick would have dhruv out ivery mother’s son of ’em before he’d set his foot in the counthry. They’re avil-looking bastes. I’ll be asking the masther to lind me a gun, and I’ll go out shooting of ’em.”
“I don’t think father will let you, Dinny,” replied Dick. “They’re very useful in their way, and clear off all the foul decaying carcases of the animals that die on the plains.”
“Shure and the flies would do all that a dale nater and claner,” cried Dinny. “And, oh, murther, Masther Dick, but it’s hard work to keep the flies off the mate out here. They come in shwarms, and I’m doing nothing all day but kill ’em. I say, Masther Dick, dear, whin are we going back?”
“Going back?” cried Dick. “I don’t know. Not yet for months, I hope.”
“Oh, murther, an’ what’ll become of us all? Sure we’re never going near any more of thim rivers, Masther Dick?”
“But we are, Dinny, we’re trekking straight for one now.”
“Not one with thim murthering crocodivils in it, Masther Dick?”