"Smith, Wilbur - Courtney - When the Lion Feeds" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Wilbur)

excitement.

What's it! Sean looked up startled. Then he saw it. Hold Tinker.
Garrick grabbed the dog's collar and pulled his head around to prevent
him seeing and giving chase. He's the biggest old inkonka in the world,
breathed Garrick. Sean was too absorbed to answer.

The bushbuck was picking its way warily out of the thick cover. A big
ram, black with age; the spots on his haunches were faded like old chalk
marks. his ears pricked up and his spiral horns held high, big as a
pony, but stepping daintily, he came out into the open. He stopped and
swung his head from side to side, searching for danger, thEn he trotted
diagonally down the hill and disappeared into another of the gullies.
For a moment after he had gone the twins were still, then they burst out
together. Did you see him, hey, did you see them horns? So close to
the house and we never knew he was there -They scrambled to their feet
jabbering at each other, and Tinker was infected with their excitement.
He barked around them in a circle. After the first few moments of
confusion Sean took control simply by raising his voice above the
opposition. I bet he hides up in the gulley every day. I bet he stays
there all dAy and comes out only at night. Let's go and have a look.

Sean led the way down the slope.

On the fringe of the bush, in a small cave of vegetation that was dark
and cool and carpeted with dead leaves, they found the ram's
hiding-P'lace. The ground was trampled by his hooves and scattered with
his droppings and there was the mark of his body where he had lain. A
few loose hairs, tipped with grey, were left on the bed of leaves. Sean
knelt down and picked one up. How are we going to get him? We could
dig a hole and put sharpened sticks in it, suggested Garrick eagerly.

Who's going to dig it, you? Sean asked.

, You could help. it would have to be a pretty big hole, said Sean
doubtfully. There was silence while both of them considered the amount
of labour involved in digging a trap. Neither of them mentioned the
idea again. We could get the other kids from town and have a drive with
kerries, said Sean. How many hunts have we been on with them? Must be
hundreds by now, and we haven't even bagged one lousy duiker, let alone
a bushbuck. Garrick hesitated and then went on. Besides, remember what
that inkonka did to Frank van Essen, hey? When it finished sticking him
they had to push all his guts back into the hole in his stomach!

, Are you scared? asked Sean. I am not, so! said Garrick indignantly,
then quickly, Gee, its almost dark.

We'd better run.

They went down the valley.