"All right, Joe. My word! this is a tight one. But people wouldn't have their teeth taken out with hammer and chisel." "You could use laughing gas." "They wouldn't laugh much, gas or no gas," cried Dyke, "if I got hold of their teeth with the pincers, like this. I say, this is a tough one. He never had toothache in this. You have a go: your muscles are stronger than mine." "No; have another try." "But it makes me so hot." "Never mind. Remember my crest and motto--doubled fist for determination, and `Never despair.'" "Who's going to despair over a big tooth?" cried Dyke, holding on to the pincers with both hands, giving a good wrench, and tearing out the tusk. "That's got him. Phew! it was a job. I say, they'll look well as curiosities." "Yes, they're a fine set," said Emson, taking out his little double glass, and beginning slowly to sweep the plain. "See anything?" asked Dyke, as he rose to his feet, and put the hammer, chisel, and pincers in a leather case buckled behind his saddle, and washed his hands, drily, in sand. "Not yet." "Oh, do see something! We must get a buck of some kind to take home with us." "Yes, we ought to get something, or Jack will forsake us because we are starving him; and take away his wife. You'll have to cook then, little un." "Won't matter, if there's nothing to cook," said Dyke sharply. "But, I say, Joe, you do think we are getting on better with the birds? Only two chicks have died since we took home those eggs." "Only two," said Emson, rather bitterly. "That's one a week. Easily calculate how long we shall be in getting to the end of our stock." "I say, what about your motto? Who's looking on the black side?" "Guilty, my lord. Come along; jump up. We will have something or another to take back for a roast." Dyke sprang upon his horse, the dog gave a joyful bark, and they cantered off, Dyke placing his rifle on his rein hand, while he rearranged the tusks in his pocket, to keep them from rattling. "Which way are we going?" he said. "Let's try west; we may perhaps see ostriches." "Oh, don't talk about them," cried Dyke; "I do get so tired of the wretches. I say, that young cock number two showed fight at me this morning, and kicked. He just missed my leg." "What? Oh, you must be careful, old chap. I can't afford to have your leg broken. But, I say, I had a look at the stores this morning before we started." "I saw you, and wondered what you were doing." "The mealie bag is nearly empty. One of us will have to take the wagon across to old Morgenstein's and buy stores." "Why not both go? It would make a change." "I'll tell you, little un. When we got back, half the birds would be dead, and the other half all over the veldt." "Oh, bother those old ostriches! they're always in the way," cried Dyke. "All right, Joe; I'll stop and mind them, only don't be longer than you can help."