CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.
THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA.
Hans was saluted by a volley of questions, "Where have you been?
What detained you?
What has happened to you?
You're all safe and sound?
Not hurt, I hope ?" These and a few others were asked in a breath.
"I'm sound as a bell," said Hans; "and for the rest of your inquiries I'll answer them all as soon as Swartboy has skinned this `aard-vark,' and Totty has cooked a piece of it for supper; but I'm too hungry to talk now, so pray excuse me." As Hans gave this reply, he cast from his shoulders an animal nearly as big as a sheep, covered with long bristly hair of a reddish-grey colour, and having a huge tail, thick at the root, and tapering like a carrot; a snout nearly a foot long, but quite slender and naked; a very small mouth; erect pointed ears resembling a pair of horns; a low flattish body; short muscular legs; and claws of immense length, especially on the fore-feet, where, instead of spreading out, they were doubled back like shut fists, or the fore hands of a monkey.

Altogether a very odd animal was that which Hans had styled an "aard-vark," and which he desired should be cooked for supper.
"Well, my boy," replied Von Bloom, "we'll excuse you, the more so that we are all of us about as hungry as yourself, I fancy.

But I think we may as well leave the `aard-vark' for to-morrow's dinner.

We've a couple of peacocks here, and Totty will get one of them ready sooner than the aard-vark." "As for that," rejoined Hans, "I don't care which.

I'm just in the condition to eat anything--even a steak of tough old quagga, if I had it; but I think it would be no harm if Swartboy--that is, if you're not too tired, old Swart--would just peel the skin off this gentleman." Hans pointed to the "aard-vark." "And dress him so that he don't spoil," he continued; "for _you_ know, Swartboy, that he's a tit-bit--a regular _bonne bouche_--and it would be a pity to let him go to waste in this hot weather.