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le of months spent in riding over the drab and dreary veldt.
"Tackle isn't half strong enough," said the younger of the two, who was nearly good-looking; in fact, he would have been handsome if he had not always worn so stupid an aspect. "Think there are any crocodiles here?"
"Likely enough, Bobby."
"S'pose one of them takes the bait?"
"Well, suppose he does!" said the other, who resembled his companion, minus the stupid look; for if the keen, dark-grey eyes were truth-tellers of what was behind them, he was, as the men in his company said, sharp as a needle.
"S'pose he does!" said the young man addressed as Bobby--otherwise Robert Dickenson, second lieutenant in Her Majesty's --th Mounted Infantry. "Well, that's a cool way of talking. Suppose he does! Why, suppose one of the great magnified efts swallows the bait?"
"Suppose he does. What then?"
"Why, he'll be more likely to pull me in than let me pull him out."
"No doubt about it, if the line doesn't break."
"What should I do then, Drew, old man?"
"I don't know what you'd do, my little man. I know what I should do."
"Yes. What?"
"Let go."
"Ah, I didn't think of that," said the young officer quite calmly. "I say, though, if it turned out to be a hippopotamus?"
"I wish it would, Bobby--that is, so long as it was a nice fat calf. I'm so ragingly hungry that I should look upon a steak off one of those india-rubber gentlemen as the greatest delicacy under the sun."
"Oh, don't talk nonsense. One of those things wouldn't be likely to bite. But I say, Drew, old chap, do you think there are any fish to be caught?"
"I haven't the slightest idea, Bobby. But here's a river; it looks likely. Fishes live in rivers; why shouldn't they be here?"
"To be sure; why not?" said the other, brightening up and looking better. "Who knows? There may be carp and tench, eels and pike."
"Not likely, Bobby, my lad; but most probably