Part 45 (1/2)

”Then we'll turn due north, and travel that way till to-morrow night, and see what that brings forth.”

Starting off again, they journeyed on, sometimes at a walk, sometimes at an easy canter, so as to save the horses as much as possible, while the Kaffir kept up, seeming not in the slightest degree distressed, but ready to enter into conversation at any time, after changing from one side to the other so as to hold on by a different hand.

”Soon be daylight now,” said West; ”but I hope this fellow does not expect to keep on with us, does he?”

”Oh no, I don't think so for a moment. We'll pull up before sunrise at some sheltered place and have a good look-out for danger before letting the ponies graze and having breakfast. Let's see what happens then!”

But the sun was well up before a suitable kopje came in sight, one so small that it did not appear likely to contain enemies, but sufficiently elevated to give an observer a good view for miles through the clear veldt air.

”Looks safe!” said Ingleborough; ”but burnt English children fear the Boer fire. Let's have a good circle round.”

This was begun, and the black instantly grasped what was intended, and hanging well down from West's stirrup-leather, he began to search the ground carefully for tracks, looking up from time to time and pointing out those of antelopes, lions, and ostriches, but never the hoof of horse or the footprint of man.

”No Boer there!” he said. ”No one come. Good water,” he continued, pointing to the slight tracts of gra.s.s which had sprung up where a stream rising among the rocks was losing itself in the dry soil, but which looked brighter and greener as it was nearer to the kopje, which was fairly furnished with thorn-bush and decent-sized trees.

”Any Boers hiding there?” said West sharply.

”Boers ride there on ponies!” replied the Kaffir decisively, as he pointed down at the drab dust. ”No ponies make marks.”

”That's enough,” said Ingleborough. ”Come along.”

Without hesitation now they put their mounts to a canter, rode up to the pleasant refres.h.i.+ng-looking place, and after leaving the ponies with the Kaffir and climbing to one of the highest points, took a good look round. This proved that there was not a mounted man in sight, and they descended to select a spot where there was plenty of herbage and water for their steeds, when they sat down and began to breakfast.

”Nothing like a fine appet.i.te,” said West, after they had been eating for some little time; ”but this biltong is rather like eating a leg of mahogany dining-table into which a good deal of salt gravy and furniture oil has been allowed to soak.”

”Yes, it is rather wooden,” said Ingleborough coolly. ”Must wear out a man's teeth a good deal.”

”Eland,” said the Kaffir, tapping his stick of the dried meat on seeing his companions examining and smelling the food. ”Old baas shoot eland, Olebo cut him up and dry him in the sun. Good.”

”Well, it isn't bad, O child of nature! But I say, how far do you mean to come with us?”

”No go any more,” replied the man. ”Go Olebo kraal, see wife. Give her big s.h.i.+lling and little yellow s.h.i.+lling.--Good?”

He brought out the sovereign from where it had been placed, and held it up.

”Good? Yes,” said West, and he set to work to try and explain by making the black bring out a florin and then holding up his outspread ten fingers, when the man seemed to have some idea of his meaning.

”Look here, I'll get it into his benighted intellect; but I should have thought that he would have known what a sovereign was worth.”

Just then the Kaffir nodded sharply, after examining the coin.

”Gold?” he said, in Dutch.

”Of course,” said Ingleborough, taking out a sovereign and ten more florins, which he placed in a heap and at a short distance from the little pile he laid down the sovereign. ”Look here, Olebo,” he said, taking up the ten florins. ”Buy four blankets!”

The Kaffir nodded, and his instructor replaced the heavy coins in his pocket to take up the sovereign.

”Now, see here,” said Ingleborough, holding it out. ”Buy four blankets.”

”Ah!” cried the delighted black, s.n.a.t.c.hing out his own treasured coins, the gold in one hand, the silver in the other. ”Buy four blankets for Olebo wife,” he cried, holding forward the silver. Then putting it behind him he held out the sovereign: ”Buy four blankets for Olebo.”