Part 36 (1/2)

But d.y.k.e did not lie down for some time after a.s.suring himself that the noise had not roused his brother from his heavy sleep. The boy was uneasy about the woman. She had told him that Jack had threatened to kill her. Suppose he came back now with his companions to take revenge upon her for betraying their plans.

”She wouldn't know,” he said to himself, after carefully weighing the matter over in his mind, to decide that they would be afraid to come again after such a reception.

So, concluding at last that the woman would be quite safe, d.y.k.e reloaded his gun, placed it ready, and lay down once more, conscious of the fact now that the dog was awake and watchful.

Five minutes after he was asleep, and did not wake till the Kaffir woman came and tapped at the door, to show him, with a look of triumph, four a.s.segais left behind by the visitors of the past night.

”Dat Jack,” she said, holding up one. ”Dose oder fellow.”

”Will they come for them?”

”No. Jack no come again. Get other wife. Tant Sal don't want any more.”

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

OOM STARTLES HIS FRIENDS.

The days glided peacefully by, with d.y.k.e kept busy enough supplying the larder, especially for his brother's benefit, and under his treatment the poor fellow grew better.

But so slowly; and he was the mere ghost of his former self when he began to crawl out of the house by the help of a stick, to sit in the shade and watch d.y.k.e as he was busy about the place.

There was very little to vary the monotony of their life. A lion came one night, but did not molest horse or bullock. They had visits, too, from the jackals, but Tanta Sal was right--Jack came no more, and they saw nothing of the Kaffirs who had been his companions, though d.y.k.e found a rough hut and traces of a fire in the patch of forest close to where he went to shoot the guinea-fowl, showing that he must often have been pretty near the Kaffirs' hiding-place.

In fact, Jack had had a very severe peppering, and felt not the slightest inclination to risk receiving another.

The subject of giving up Kopfontein was often discussed, but even if it were done, it seemed evident that many months must elapse before Emson would be fit to travel; so the subject was talked of less often, though one thing was evident both to d.y.k.e and his brother--their scheme of ostrich-farming had completely broken down, and unless a bold attempt were made to start afresh, they would gradually become poorer and poorer, for alone, all d.y.k.e's efforts to collect valuable skins were disposed to be rather unfruitful, try hard as he would.

Months had pa.s.sed, and they had had no more black visitors, but one day Tanta Sal rushed into the house where the brothers were seated at dinner, with such a look of excitement upon her features, that d.y.k.e sprang up, seized one of the guns and handed another to his brother, who stood up, looking weak, but determined to help if danger were at hand.

But Tanta gesticulated, pushed the guns away, and signed to d.y.k.e to follow.

The cause of the woman's excitement was evident directly, for there, a mile away, was a wagon drawn by a long team of oxen, and it was evident that they were to have visitors at the farm.

”Some poor wretch going up in the wilds to seek his fortune,” said Emson rather sadly. ”I wish him better luck than ours, young un.”

”Oh, I say, Joe, don't talk in that doleful way,” cried d.y.k.e excitedly.

”This is so jolly. It's like being Robinson Crusoe and seeing a sail.

Here, wait while I fetch the gla.s.s.”

d.y.k.e returned the next minute with his hands trembling so that he could hardly focus and steady the ”optic tube.” Then he shouted in his excitement, and handed the telescope to his brother.

”Why, it's that fat old Dutchman, Morgenstern! Who'd have thought of seeing him?”

Sure enough it was the old trader, seated like the Great Mogul in the old woodcuts. He was upon the wagon-box, holding up an enormously long whip, and two black servants were with him--one at the head of the long team of twelve oxen, the other about the middle of the double line of six, as the heavy wagon came slowly along, the bullocks seeming to crawl.

”I am glad,” cried d.y.k.e. ”I say, Joe, see his great whip? He looked in the gla.s.s as if he were fis.h.i.+ng.”

”Tant make fine big cake--kettle boil--biltong tea?” asked the Kaffir woman hospitably.