With Storm, therefore, I was fain to be content. I crossed the bridge, but as I reached the cassava field I noticed to my great annoyance that it had been overrun and laid waste by some mischievous animals. I examined the footprints, and seeing that they greatly resembled those of pigs, determined to follow the trail, and see who these invaders of our territory would prove to be. The track led me on for some way until I almost lost sight of it near our old potato field. For some time I hunted backward and forward without seeing a sign of the animals; at length a loud barking from Floss and Bruno, who were with me, announced that they had been discovered. The whole family of our old sow, and she herself, were standing at bay, showing their teeth and grunting so savagely that the dogs feared to approach them. I raised my gun and fired twice among the herd; two of the pigs fell, and the rest fled, followed by the dogs. I picked up the pigs, and calling back the pursuers, continued my way through the forest. A tree suited to my purpose was soon found; I marked it and returned home. Ernest, who had remained at home, assisted me to flay the young porkers, and I handed them over to the mother to prepare for supper, by which time I hoped the other lads would have returned. Late in the evening we heard the sounds of trampling hoofs, and presently Jack appeared, thundering along upon his two-legged steed, followed in the distance by Fritz and Franz. These latter carried upon their cruppers game bags, the contents of which were speedily displayed; four birds, a kangaroo, twenty muskrats, a monkey, two hares, and half a dozen beaver rats, were laid before me. Besides these, Fritz threw down, without a word of explanation, a bundle of thistles. The boys seemed almost wild with excitement at the success of their expedition, and presently Jack exclaimed: "Oh, father, you can't think what grand fun hunting on an ostrich is; we flew along like the wind; sometimes I could scarcely breathe, we were going at such a rate, and was obliged to shut my eyes because of the terrific rush of air; really, father, you must make me a mask with glass eyes to ride with, or I shall be blinded one of these fine days." "Indeed!" replied I, "I must do no such thing." "Why not?" asked he, with a look of amazement upon his face. "For two reasons; firstly, because I do not consider that I _must_ do anything that you demand; and, secondly, because I think that you are very capable of doing it yourself. However, I must congratulate you upon your abundant supply of game; you must have indeed worked hard. Yet I wish that you would let me know when you intend starting on such a long expedition as this; you forget that though you yourselves know that you are quite safe, and that all is going on well, yet that we at home are kept in a constant state of anxiety. Now, off with you, and look to your animals, and then you may find supper ready."