Hippo Summary and Analysis

Capstick and his Texan client have concluded a successful day of lion hunting. They sit around the fire and drink and talk, then Capstick retires to his hut for the night. On the walk, as on all walks, he loads his Evans .470 Nitro Express double rifle and slings it. This night, he walks into the darkness and then hears a snuffling grunt. Capstick runs backwards about ten feet and then the beam of his flashlight catches a charging hippopotamus crossing the path where he had just stood. He discharges both barrels from the hip, breaking the flashlight filament and plunging him into complete darkness. Capstick then rushes through the dark to his hut where he retrieves another flashlight and returns to find a monstrous dead animal only a few yards from the path. One shot broke the animal's spine and, humorously...