And as he spoke a vast herd of small deer--beautiful animals, graceful of form and of a light cinnamon colour on the back, with white bellies and legs--came leaping and bounding along the valley, pursued by a number of savages, all yelling and shrieking at the very top of their voices. "They're spring-bok," said Tom, leaning forward to get a fair view of the deer. "I wish I had my double-barrel! A good juicy steak off one of those fellows wouldn't come amiss, eh, Frank?" "No indeed," replied the other. "But, I say, old fellow, take care you don't overbalance yourself. I wouldn't trust too much to that bush." The leaders of the herd of deer were now almost abreast of the cave, and the sable hunters, who were lying in wait along the path, rushed in upon them. Then commenced a scene of slaughter; numbers of the affrighted spring-bok being slain by the assegais of the savages, whilst not a few fell down and died from sheer terror. This cruel and unsportsmanlike butchery was at its height when, forgetful of his friend's warning, Tom Flinders leaned forward to obtain a better view of the scene, and in order to preserve his balance he caught hold of the bush which overhung the entrance of the cave; but, as Frank had suspected, the bush was not very firmly rooted, and so of a sudden it gave way, and poor Tom pitched head first out of the cave and landed right on the shoulders of one of the savages, who fell sprawling amongst the spring-bok, with our hero on the top of him. Now nine feet is not a very terrible distance to tumble (though, of course, a great deal depends on how a person falls--for there's a knack in falling, as everybody should know), and Tom would probably have escaped with a few bruises, had he not unfortunately rolled from off the prostrate savage right in front of another, who was in the very act of spearing a spring-bok; the consequence was that his sharp weapon took effect in the biped instead of the quadruped; that is to say, poor Tom received a severe wound, the assegai-head being driven clean through his leg from side to side, an inch or two above the knee-cap. The sudden and startling appearance of a white man in their midst so electrified the hunters that they stood stock-still, and allowed the spring-bok to dash onward through the valley without attempting to stop them; thus the greater number of the herd would certainly have galloped over Tom's body, and probably have injured him not a little, had not Frank Jamieson dropped down from the cave, and rushing forward dragged his friend out of harm's way. Tom was indeed badly hurt, and when Frank drew the assegai from the wound the pain was so sharp that the poor fellow fainted right away. The blacks--to the number of fifty or sixty--now crowded round, and one of them--who appeared to be in authority--addressed Frank in broken English, volunteering his assistance, and assuring him that he had nothing to fear.