Part 87 (1/2)

Their great strength of body and jaw, and their long canine teeth, give the is a match for one, and the hyena and leopard often come off second best in an encounter with a baboon

They are not carnivorous, however, and only tear their ene it Their food consists of fruits and bulbous roots, which they well understand to dig out of the ground with the sharp nails of their hands

Although they will not attack erous assailants when hunted and brought to bay

Many odd stories are told of the chac the settlers of Southern Africa, such as their robbing the traveller of his food, and then going off to so him, while they devour it

The natives also say that they so” for roots, and in self-defence Also, when a young one has succeeded in finding a choice root, and is observed by an older and stronger one, that the latter takes it away; but, should the young one have already sed it, then the bully picks him up, turns hie!” Many such tales are current in the country of the boers, and they are not all without foundation, for these anih degree

Totty froh to convince her of this, had she been herself inclined to philosophise But she was not She was only a little curious about the manoeuvres of the animals, and she called Truey and little Jan up into the tree, in order that they ht share the spectacle with her All the others were off hunting

Jan was delighted, and ran up the ladder at once So did Truey and all three stood watching the odd movements of the four-handed creatures

They perceived that the troop was actuallyin order; not in line, but with sos, and leaders in front These were baboons of greater age and size than the others There were calls and signals, and the change of accent and tone would have convinced any one that a regular conversation was going on The feer ones marched in the middle for better security The mothers carried their infants upon their backs, or over their shoulders Now aits hair at the saallop forward toher child, that had in so females would quarrel, fro would ensue, to be silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs!

Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screa, as only monkeys can

What were they after?

That question was answered very soon Truey and Jan, and Totty saw, to their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an idle errand They were after the maize-plants!

[Illustration: TOTTY IN TROUBLE]

In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and were hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the plants A few only could be seen,--large old fellows, that stationed the up a constant interchange of signals Thethe plants of their precious fruit

But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field, where a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another, extended away to the very bottoular manoeuvre,--a deploy to the field For what purpose?

That was soon apparent In less than two minutes after the crowd disappeared under the shelter of theheads in their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by the hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately took them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next, and so on, until, in a very short while from the time a head was plucked from the stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the baboons far off aer the field-cornet would have had but a poor gathering in harvest tih, and would soon have made a crop of it, but at this moment their operations were interrupted

Totty knew but little of the danger she underwent, when she ran forth with nothing but that long brooht of the loss her kind ; and down the ladder she hurried, and ran straight out to the corn-field

Several sentinels rinned, chattered, screa canine teeth; but they only received a blow over their ugly snouts from the broom-handle Their cries summoned the others; and in a few ry circle of chac in upon her by the expert manner in which she continued to ply the brooht weapon would not have servedtorn to pieces--would soon have been sealed, had not four horsealloped up to her rescue

These were the hunters returning frouns at once scattered the ugly chac back to their caves

After that the field-cornet looked well to his ht home, and deposited in safety out of the reach of either birds, reptiles, quadrupeds, or _quadrumana_

CHAPTER XLV

THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST