By the
time I had done this the sun was down, and the full moon was up, and
a beautiful moon it was. And then there came that wonderful hush which
sometimes falls over the African bush in the early hours of the night.
No beast was moving, and no bird called. Not a breath of air stirred the
quiet trees, and the shadows did not even quiver, they only grew. It was
very oppressive and very lonely, for there was not a sign of the cattle
or the boys. I was quite thankful for the society of old Kaptein, who
was lying down contentedly against the disselboom, chewing the cud with
a good conscience.
"Presently, however, Kaptein began to get restless. First he snorted,
then he got up and snorted again. I could not make it out, so like a
fool I got down off the waggon-box to have a look round, thinking it
might be the lost oxen coming.
"Next instant I regretted it, for all of a sudden I heard a roar and saw
something yellow flash past me and light on poor Kaptein. Then came
a bellow of agony from the ox, and a crunch as the lion put his teeth
through the poor brute's neck, and I began to understand what had
happened.
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