The beast kept running backwards and forwards, rising on its hind
legs, and then rapidly whirling round and round, nodding its head, and
going through most frantic and ludicrous antics.
Franz kept his presence of mind very well; for he watched till,
calming down, the hyaena began with horrid growls to tear its prey; and
then, firing steadily both barrels, he broke its foreleg, and wounded
it in the breast.
Meanwhile Fritz, having unyoked the oxen and secured them to trees,
hurried to his brother's assistance. The dogs and the dying hyaena were
by this time engaged in mortal strife; but the latter, although it
severely wounded both Floss and Bruno, speedily succumbed, and was dead
when the boys reached the spot.
They raised a shout of triumph, which guided Jack to the scene of
action; and their first care was for the dogs, whose wounds they
dressed before minutely examining the hyaena. It was as large as a wild
boar; long stiff bristles formed a mane on its neck, its colour was
grey marked with black, the teeth and jaws were of extraordinary
strength, the thighs muscular and sinewy, the claws remarkably strong
and sharp altogether. But for his wounds, he would certainly have been
more than a match for the dogs.
After unloading the cart at the farm, the boys returned for the
carcase of the tiger-wolf, as it is sometimes called, and occupied
themselves in skinning it during the remainder of the day, when after
dispatching the carrier-pigeon to Rockburg, they retired to rest on
their bearskin rugs, to dream of adventures past and future.
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