The dogs seized
it. Franz shot it. It is dead and skinned. The pemmican isn't worth
much, but we are all right. Love to all.
`Fritz
`Woodlands, 15th instant
`A true hunter's letter!' laughed I. `But what exciting news. When does
the next post come in, Ernest?'
`Tonight, I hope,' said he, while his mother sighed, and doubted the
value of such glimpses into the scenes of danger through which her sons
were passing, declaring she would much rather wait and hear all about
it when she had them safe home again.
Thus the winged letter-carriers kept us informed from day to day of the
outline of adventures which were afterwards more fully described.
On approaching the farm at Woodlands, the boys were startled by
hearing, as they thought, human laughter, repeated again and again;
while, to their astonishment, the oxen testified the greatest
uneasiness, the dogs growled and drew close to their masters, and the
ostrich fairly bolted with Jack into the rice swamp.
The laughter continued, and the beasts became unmanageable.
`Something is very far wrong!' cried Fritz. `I cannot leave the
animals; but while I unharness them, do you, Franz, take the dogs, and
advance cautiously to see what is the matter.'
Without a moment's hesitation, Franz made his way among the bushes with
his gun, and closely followed by the dogs; until, through an opening in
the thicket, he could see, at the distance of about forty paces, an
enormous hyaena, in the most wonderful state of excitement; dancing
round a lamb just killed, and uttering, from time to time, the ghastly
hysterical laughter which had pealed through the forest.
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