"They are about a mile to the south," said the tracker, "and you can get pretty close on them without being seen."
"Now's the chance for your experiment with your saddle-ox, Miss Boland," I said, turning to that lady.
"Very well," said she; "with your permission, gentlemen, I'll see what I can do. Am I to be commander in this hunt?"
"Certainly you are," we answered; "we await your orders."
"All right then, gentlemen, here they are: I'll lead off on David's back, you can follow on horseback two or three hundred yards behind me, and Kleinboy, my after-rider, will keep with you and bring up my horse. Let your tracker indicate to me where the giraffes are, and just before we come in sight of them I'll dismount from David's back and keep along at his side. Then we'll see what we shall see. After the first fire you can all go ahead and chase the herd in any way you like; Kleinboy can bring me my horse and take away David."
"An excellent plan of campaign," I remarked—"excellent;" and the other fellows echoed my opinion. Away went Miss Boland on David's back, preceded by the tracker who had sighted the herd of giraffes. David moved at a fast walk, and the rest of us brought up the rear, as we had been directed to do.
When they reached the foot of a slight ridge the tracker indicated that the giraffes were on the other side. Then Miss Boland dismounted, and, holding the bridle in one hand and her rifle in the other, crept along in a stooping posture on the side of the ox that was farthest away from the game.
It is proper to explain that an African ox is bridled by means of a stick, about a foot long, passed transversely through the cartilage of his nose, and held in place by a piece of cord. The reins, which are generally made of half-inch or three-eighths-inch rope, are fastened to the ends of this stick; and when he gets used to the affair he minds the helm with great readiness. The cartilage of the nose is pierced like that of an unruly bull in civilized countries, and it is very sensitive to any strain upon it.
As he neared the top of the ridge David began to pluck a little grass, as if he were out on a grazing-expedition; and he continued to feed quietly along as he passed the crest of the ridge and worked down into the hollow, where the giraffes were.
Of course we lost sight of him as he went over the ridge, not daring to show ourselves to the giraffes until we heard the sound of Miss Boland's rifle. We could only conjecture what was happening, and the time seemed long while we were waiting for the report of the weapon.