Desmond's was the ordinary soft-nosed bullet. Colin's was the same in appearance at first sight, but a brief examination revealed the fact that it was of the explosive variety used in big-game hunting.
"Where did you get hold of this, Colin?" asked Colonel Narfield.
"From the ammunition-box just before we started," replied the lad.
"Then it's a jolly lucky thing you did so," declared Colonel Narfield. "A fluke of the highest dimension. No other form of ammunition would have dropped that brute dead in its tracks. All the same, I'd like to know how that packet got into the ordinary ammunition-chest," he added reflectively.
CHAPTER XXV
MISSING
Without delay the task of sawing off the ivory proceeded. Of the two cow-elephants only one possessed tusks. These, by the law of the chase, fell to Van der Wyck.
Colin had scored heavily, for the bull elephant's tusks were large, heavy, and in splendid condition; but upon hearing that they were his prize he resolutely refused to accept the trophies unless the ivory were shared between the whole of the party from Kilembonga.
"We'll do the apportioning later," declared Colonel Narfield, who, propped up against a tree and smoking a cigar, was directing operations while the two Haussas set to work to saw through the valuable tusks. "No, no hurry on my account, lads. My ankle hurts a bit, naturally, but it's nothing to make a song about. I'm afraid I'll have to be carried home."