That assurance was fulfilled, for when the Hampton party arrived on the scene tall warriors armed with spears and with clappers for producing a particularly atrocious racket already had spread in a wide circle around the marsh.
Mabele who had preceded them came running up with the intelligence that a huge rhinoceros, the largest seen in that district for a long time, had been observed entering the marsh the preceding night. Although a plains animal, yet it resembles its river-loving brother, the hippopotamus, in its regard for cool damp spots. And this marsh was a noted haunt of the rhinos.
Many acres in extent, the marsh stretched away ahead in an expanse of tall reeds and low trees. And although the boys knew at least two score beaters were converging toward the plain edging the marsh where they had taken their station, yet they could not see them. Now and then, however, the sound of a clapper could be heard. Nor was there any sign of the rhino.
Three motion picture cameras had been brought along, so as to photograph every phase of the hunt. And Niellsen, Jack and Frank were to operate them. Bob, the best shot of the three boys, and Mr. Hampton constituted the armed hunters of the party. They were not to kill the monster until good pictures had been obtained first of the rhino emerging from the swamp and of the beaters converging upon his lair.
As the most expert of the operators, Niellsen had elected to go into the marsh with his camera and follow up the beaters. And Mr. Hampton accompanied him as his protector. This left the three boys alone in the plain.
It was a morning of blazing sunshine and, early though the hour, the day already had become uncomfortably warm. Frank suffered especially, as he lugged his big camera to a vantage point some distance from Jack so that they would be able to take in the scene from various angles.
“If the rhino charges you, what will you do?” asked Bob, carrying Frank’s film box.
“I’m going to run,” said Frank. “What d’you think?”
“Doesn’t a sense of duty to your employers fill your breast?” demanded Bob, as if in surprise. “I should think you’d stick on the burning deck and let the rhino charge right over you in order to get a picture of him in action.”
“You’ve got another think coming,” replied Frank, coming to a halt and adjusting the tripod. “Guess this is far enough away from Jack.”