214 Ï^ICK SANDS, THE BOV CPTAIN. feet in length, had just moved itself in the long grass at their side, but Harris affirmed that the * sucuni " never hisses, and declared that the noîse had really corne from animais of an entirely inoflensive character. " What animais ? " asked Dick. ahvays eager for infor- mation, which it must be grantcd Harris seemed always cqually anxious to give. " Antclopes," replîed Harris ; " but. hush ! not a sound, or you will frighten them away." " Antclopes ! " cricd Dick ; " I must sce them ; I must get close to them." " More easily said than donc/* answered Harris, shaking his head ; but Dick was not to be diverted from his purpose, and, gun in hand, crept into the grass. He had not advanced many yards before a herd of about a dozen gazelles, graceful in body, with short, pointed homs, dashed past him like a glowing cloud, and disappeared in the underwood without giving him time to take a shot " I told you beforchand what you would hâve to expect," said Harris, as Dick, with a considérable sensé of disap- pointmcnt, returncd to the party. Impossible, howevcr, as it had been fairly to scrutinize the antclopes, such was hardly the case with another herd of animais, the identification of whîch led to a somewhat singular discussion bctwcen Harris and the rest. About four o'clock on the afternoon of the same day, the travellers wcrc halting for a few moments near an opening in the forest, whcn three or four large animais emerged from a thickct about a hundred paces ahead, and scam- pered off at full specd. In spite of what Harris had urged, Dick put his gun to his shoulder, and was on the very point of firing, when Harris knocked the rifle quickly aside.
- They were gîraffes ! " shouted Dick.
The announcement awakened the curiosity of Jack, who quickly scrambled to his feet upon the saddle on which he was lounging. "My dear Dick," said Mrs. Weldon, "there are no giraffes in America I "
