The boys made their arrangements very quickly, and without the slightest hesitation Coffee walked up to the reptile, and as it raised its head menacingly he struck it down with a blow of his kiri, and a dexterous chop from Chicory’s long-bladed assegai took off its head.
What had before seemed a sluggish inert body, now, as in a former case, became instantly endowed with spasmodic life, leaping from the stones, twisting, twining, knotting itself, and then unfolding and reknotting itself in the most extraordinary manner, the grey rocks around being spattered with the blood from the bleeding neck, while the severed head lay slowly gasping, and biting impotently at a few dry blades of grass.
Dick and Jack seemed as if they would have never tired of watching the reptile, but their father suggested a move onward.
“How long do you think that was, father?” said Dick, as they climbed on, each step bringing them to a more toilsome way.
“Probably a dozen feet, and a good deal thicker than my arm,” replied Mr Rogers. “I should like to see one seize its prey, though, and watch the whole course of its constricting and swallowing the animal it has caught. And now, boys, I think we will go up as far as the end of this narrow pass, and then turn back and close the camp for the evening.”
They went to the end, always rising, with the scenery growing wilder and more grand at every step; and at last Mr Rogers paused.
“Oh, let’s go up to the top now,” cried Dick eagerly.
“You can, boys; but make haste,” said their father.
“The top” was the edge of a ridge some four hundred feet above their heads, and as Mr Rogers sat down to rest, the boys climbed on, finding the difficulties of the ascent greater than they had expected; but they kept on, manfully helped by Coffee and Chicory, who were always ready to push, to pull, or hold a rifle, and in this way they reached what proved to be quite a narrow edge, with some jagged pinnacles on their right, and a steep slope in front. But what took their attention most was an eagle in full pursuit of a lovely little slender-legged gazelle, which was straining every effort as it came up a long narrow defile to escape from its terrible enemy.
The gazelle was quite a hundred yards below them to their left as they saw it first, and they watched its progress with a fascinated interest as it came nearer as if to pass them, with the eagle gliding along over it as it bounded along, and then making dart after dart at it with its tremendous claws.