"How so?" she asked.
"Why, there comes the herd!" I answered; "you said you wouldn't shoot a giraffe unless it came in your way, and there's a lot of them coming now."
"All right, then; if they're coming I'll take a shot."
The plain was quite open where the giraffes were running, and they seemed to be headed directly for a clump of trees a quarter of a mile or so to our right.
"Come on," I shouted, as I led the way to the clump of trees. "The giraffes will go there for security, and that will give you a chance for a shot at them."
We reached the trees easily and dismounted, I holding the horses while the ladies took up their positions behind trees that would screen them well. On came the herd, and it did exactly what I expected it would do—sought the shelter of the trees. One of the animals passed within ten yards of the muzzle of Mrs. Roberts's rifle; she fired at the right time, and her shot was successful. The bullet passed through the cervical column, just above the shoulder, and brought the animal to the ground, where a second shot finished him. Miss Boland refrained from firing, and so did I, as we felt that game enough had been slaughtered for the day, and none of us believed in wanton destruction.
Not far behind the herd came Harry and Jack; they reported, as I have already said, that each had slaughtered a giraffe, and it was then unanimously voted to bring the hunt to an end. Our camp was much nearer than that of the ladies; we invited them to our establishment for luncheon, and they graciously accepted. Mrs. Roberts relieved any possible embarrassment of ours by saying:
"We sha'n't expect any such lunch as you gave us the other day—that is too much to look for more than twice in a season. We will go to your camp with pleasure, and take whatever pot-luck happens to be in order."
"Yes," echoed Miss Boland; "I am hungry enough for whatever you offer us, from hippopotamus to buffalo or giraffe; anything will be welcome."
"Thank you very much," said Jack. "We've a bit of surprise in store for you; at least, I think we have; but I'll keep it a secret till we get to camp."