Mabele who had preceded them came running up with the intelligence that a huge rhinoceros4, the largest seen in that district for a long time, had been observed entering the marsh the preceding night. Although a plains animal, yet it resembles its river-loving brother, the hippopotamus6, in its regard for cool damp spots. And this marsh was a noted7 haunt of the rhinos8.
Many acres in extent, the marsh stretched away ahead in an expanse of tall reeds and low trees. And although the boys knew at least two score beaters were converging9 toward the plain edging the marsh where they had taken their station, yet they could not see them. Now and then, however, the sound of a clapper could be heard. Nor was there any sign of the rhino3.
Three motion picture cameras had been brought along, so as to photograph every phase of the hunt. And Niellsen, Jack10 and Frank were to operate them. Bob, the best shot of the three boys, and Mr. Hampton constituted the armed hunters of the party. They were not to kill the monster until good pictures had been obtained first of the rhino emerging from the swamp and of the beaters converging upon his lair11.
As the most expert of the operators, Niellsen had elected to go into the marsh with his camera and follow up the beaters. And Mr. Hampton accompanied him as his protector. This left the three boys alone in the plain.
It was a morning of blazing sunshine and, early though the hour, the day already had become uncomfortably warm. Frank suffered especially, as he lugged12 his big camera to a vantage point some distance from Jack so that they would be able to take in the scene from various angles.
“If the rhino charges you, what will you do?” asked Bob, carrying Frank’s film box.
“I’m going to run,” said Frank. “What d’you think?”
“Doesn’t a sense of duty to your employers fill your breast?” demanded Bob, as if in surprise. “I should think you’d stick on the burning deck and let the rhino charge right over you in order to get a picture of him in action.”
“You’ve got another think coming,” replied Frank, coming to a halt and adjusting the tripod. “Guess this is far enough away from Jack.”
“But just think,” persisted Bob, “of what a gorgeous picture it would make. Imagine sitting in a theatre at home and suddenly seeing a huge rhino come lumbering13 toward you, as if he were going to charge right out of the screen and into the audience.”
“Talk to Jack,” said Frank coolly. “I can’t hear you. Whoo, it’s hot. Wish the battle would begin.”
Close at hand in the marsh, as if his words had been a signal, a tremendous uproar14 of cries broke out interspersed15 with the racheting sound of the clappers in the hands of the native beaters.
“Better get ready,” advised Bob. “That sounds pretty close.”
Frank leaped to his feet, all eagerness, the lassitude of the moment before forgotten, and took his place at the camera.
“See anything yet?” he called.
“No,” said Bob. “And I don’t hear any shots, either. So I suppose Jack’s father isn’t potting away. But what an infernal din5 those beaters are putting up.”
The noise died down, became more remote, and Frank relaxed his tense attitude at the camera, while Bob once more laid down his rifle.
“Huh. Guess the rhino headed for another direction.”
“I suppose so,” said Frank. “Certainly the beaters are withdrawing.”
Once more they were alone on the sunny plain with its tall buffalo16 grass, alone except for Jack whose head and chest only could be seen above the tall grass some distance away. He waved a hand and they replied similarly, but he was too far away to make himself heard except by shouting and so did not call to them.
Perhaps five minutes had elapsed during which no immediate17 sounds except the drone of huge flies and the tiny hum of insects broke the somnolent18 stillness. The boys spoke19 now and then in low voices, but in the main were silent. Bob’s keen glance played continually along the edge of the marsh, but Frank had taken seat on the film box and was sunk in revery.
Suddenly Bob’s hand gripped his shoulder, and Bob’s voice whispered low:
“Sh. Here he comes.”
Frank sprang to his feet and gazed in the direction indicated by Bob.
A huge brute20 with dark, dun-colored hide had parted the reeds of the marsh not fifty yards away. He stood sideways at the edge of the plain, formidable horned head lifted as if listening to the distant sounds of the beaters.
Swinging the lens of the camera about until he brought the rhino into focus, he began to turn the crank.
The rhino abandoned his listening attitude and, dropping his head, began to move slowly forward on a line bringing him midway between Jack and Frank. Although his legs were short and ponderous22, so huge was his body that it towered above the buffalo grass which parted before him like water before a scow.
Over him fluttered a perfect cloud of small birds, like a swarm23 of bees hiving on a bough24. They made continual darts25 at the huge back, picking off ticks and performing his toilet for him. The boys had heard this phenomenon described, but had never witnessed it, the only rhinos they had seen heretofore being those captives in Zoos.
Now and again as he moved slowly along, the huge beast would lift his head. And at such times he gave the watching, spell-bound boys the impression that he was sniffing26 the air as if in search of his arch-enemy, man.
Realizing that should the rhino become aware of Jack’s presence and charge him, his comrade would be without protection as he had the sole rifle of the outfit28, Bob crouching29 low began making his way to a point in the rear of the rhino where he could afford protection to Jack as well as Frank.
And well it was that he took this precaution. For a time the rhino continued his slow advance on the line which would avoid both boys, stopping occasionally to repeat his gesture of lifting his head as if to sniff27. Bob suddenly recalled that, although the day was calm, still there was a bit of breeze blowing, and that it came from Jack’s direction. Frank, therefore, was to leeward30 of the rhino and fairly safe from detection, as the great beast is short-sighted. But Jack was to windward and might be detected.
Remembering what he had heard of rhinos to the effect that they are short-tempered and fearless, Bob hurried the more and presently found himself in the broad trail beaten down by the rhino and not far behind him. Ahead, not twenty yards away, he could see the grotesque31, broad quarters of the beast.
“The thinnest spot in the rhino’s armor is immediately behind the foreleg, and that is his most vulnerable spot,” Mr. Hampton had said on parting.
Bob remembered. He remembered, too, that the high-powered rifle he carried was guaranteed to shoot a steel-jacketted bullet that would penetrate32 even rhino hide. And the range was close enough. He breathed more freely, now that he had come to such close quarters. His momentary33 panic at thought of Jack’s danger began to disappear.
Anyhow, he said to himself, the rhino appeared likely to stalk clear out of the picture, without ever spotting the presence of his photographers to either side.
But Bob was mistaken. Suddenly the monster swerved34 to the right without warning and charged with amazing swiftness directly toward Jack who was not more than thirty yards away. His great head jerked at every lurch35.
Bob started running through the grass at a tangent which would place him close to the beast before the latter could arrive at Jack’s post. He cast a glance in Jack’s direction, expecting to see the latter pick up his camera and decamp, but was amazed and alarmed to see Jack busily grinding away.
“Great guns,” he muttered, “that rhino must be charging directly into the camera. Why doesn’t Jack run?”
But Jack continued at his post, and the truth was, as Bob dashing forward in alarm suspected, that in making the most of his wonderful opportunity to obtain a film of the rhino charging head-on he had forgotten for a moment the important consideration of looking out for his own safety.
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1
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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3
rhino
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| n.犀牛，钱, 现金 | |
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rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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hippopotamus
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| n.河马 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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rhinos
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| n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式） | |
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9
converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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10
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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11
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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12
lugged
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| vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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13
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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14
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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15
interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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16
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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17
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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somnolent
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| adj.想睡的，催眠的；adv.瞌睡地；昏昏欲睡地；使人瞌睡地 | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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20
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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22
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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24
bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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25
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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26
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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27
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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28
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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29
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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30
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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31
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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32
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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33
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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34
swerved
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| v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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