As yet, the dogs did not seem aware that an enemy was after them. They
had heard their master's whistle, and having been released from the
leash, were only intent in obeying the command.
On rousing the buffaloes from their repose, they probably thought that
they had been called for the express purpose of pursuing and destroying
them; and, heedless of all else, they followed upon the heels of the
great quadrupeds, passing close to the hunter, who in vain endeavoured
to call them off. He was soon otherwise occupied.
The creature in pursuit of the dogs, and which had caused the flight of
Macora and his attendants, was a large leopard. It was a female, and
rapidly there passed through the hunter's mind a conjecture of the
circumstances under which the animal was acting.
It had left its young in its forest lair, and had been on a visit to the
river for water or food. It had not pursued Macora or his attendants,
as its solicitude was for its young, and the dogs were now running in
the direction where these were concealed.
At sight of Groot Willem, the leopard desisted from its pursuit of the
dogs; and, crouching low upon the ground, crawled towards him,--not
slowly, but with a speed only checked by instinctive caution. As it
advanced, its whole body was covered by the head, its eyes being the
highest part of it presented to the view of the hunter.
The _felidea_ was now within ten yards of him and rapidly drawing
nearer. Something must be done. The roer was raised to his shoulder,
and with a steady hand and eye,--nerved by the perilous position he was
in,--he drew a fine sight at the creature's snout and fired.
The shot took effect, for the leopard rolled over, rose up, turned
around two or three times, and for a while seemed to have lost all
consciousness of what had transpired. Its young and its enemy were for
a time apparently forgotten in the agony it was suffering from a broken
jaw. This, however, was but for a few seconds, for the sight of the
hunter soon after aroused it to a perfect realisation of all that had
taken place.
Willem, after firing, had run off to about fifty paces, and then stopped
to reload. While so engaged he kept his eye fixed upon the leopard. It
was again coming towards him, no longer with the caution it had before
exhibited, but in a manner that showed its whole animal nature was
absorbed by the spirit of revenge.
By the time he had placed the bullet in the barrel of his gun and driven
it home, the brute was close upon him. There was not time for him to
withdraw the ramrod, much less to put on a cap. Grasping his roer by
the barrel, he prepared to defend himself, intending to use the weapon
as a club. The enraged creature was about to make a spring upon him,
when assistance came from a quarter altogether unexpected.
One of the dogs--a large bull-dog called "Smoke"--had not followed the
buffaloes to cover. It had obeyed its master's command when called back
from the chase. Just as the leopard was crouching upon the earth to
gather force for the final spring, Smoke seized it by one of the hind
legs. Not a second of time was lost by Willem. One more chance for
life had been thus given him, and he hastened to avail himself of it.
The hammer of the lock was thrown back and a cap placed on the nipple in
less time than nine out of ten well-drilled soldiers could have
performed the same feat; but by the time it was done, and the gun
brought to his shoulder, poor Smoke was lying in his death-struggle
along the grass.
The _felidea_ had turned to renew the attack on its human enemy. One
second more, and its huge body would have been launched against him,--
its sharp claws buried in his flesh.
He pulled trigger and sprang backwards. A cloud of smoke rolled before
his eyes, and, as this cleared away, he saw the leopard laid out along
the earth by the side of the wounded dog,--like the latter, kicking out
its legs in the last throes of death.
On looking for his companions, Willem saw that Macora and his men,
having stopped at a distance of about five hundred yards off, had
witnessed his victory. The chief was now hastening towards him on foot,
and was soon by his side, when, pointing to the ox about half a mile
away, he tried to make Willem understand that that animal had carried
him unwillingly away from his friend.
Perceiving all danger was over, the others came up; when, by signs, the
big hunter gave them to understand that he wanted the hide taken off the
leopard. The four attendants went to work with their short assagais, in
a manner that told him he would not have long to wait for a beautiful
leopard skin, as a trophy of his victory, as also a memento of the
danger through which he had passed.
He himself turned his attention to the wounded dog, which was still
moaning on the ground, and looking at him with an expression that seemed
to say, "Why do you not first come and assist me."
Poor Smoke had sacrificed his own life to save that of his master. The
creature's back was broken, and it was otherwise severely injured. It
was evident that nothing could be done for it. The dog must die, and
the great heart of Groot Willem was sorely afflicted.
Turning to Macora, he observed that the chief had reloaded his musket.
Willem pointed to the dog's head and then to the gun.
The chief took the hint and raised the weapon to his shoulder.
Groot Willem turned away with his eyes full of tears, and went off in
pursuit of his horse.