Part 4 (1/2)
I country, he exalass the kraals of the Matabili, both far and near
Several objects attracted his attention, a which were some which threatened the safety of himself and party Several ares and departing hastily in various directions, as though engaged on business of importance Hans, aware of the craftiness of his enemies, felt considerable uneasiness at these numerous departures; for he ell aware that if the Matabili had by chance discovered his hiding-place, they would not venture to attack hi numbers, but would first ascertain for certain that he was in the ravine; a fact which they would prove by exa footmarks which led into the kloof, but none which led out of it; then they would despatch several small parties with orders to assemble at certain parts of the ravine and there to form an ambuscade which was to intercept the retreat of Hans and his companions
The Matabili, like most of the natives of South Africa, were accusto, and fiercest animals, and from these they had taken many hints; the buffalo, for exaht, would then return and hide itself in the bush not far froinally started; the hunter, unacquainted with the cunning of this creature, would probably follow it rapidly in its first retreat and would be suddenly surprised at finding himself within a few yards of the creature, which would probably be in the act of charging hih Hans observed that all the parties of the Matabili left their kraals, and moved in a contrary direction to the kloof in which he was concealed, yet he was not satisfied that they did not, when out of sight, turn, and make their way back, so as to be ready to attack him immediately he and his companionsearly,” said Victor, as he joined Hans and watched the various ar to attack our people”
”Soive up a spoor as plain as ours must have been Still I have a plan which may defeat thelass, and tell me, do e kraal, a woet, _you_ would not recognise her so far off, though I can; but tell me if it is not a white woman's dress and ht alteration in the focus, directed it at the object indicated After a very brief examination, Victor said--
”That, Hans, is a white wo her, I see another and a smaller woman, who I think also is white”
Hans, who had been solely occupied in exaure, had not observed the second; but now, taking the glass, he at once found that Victor's observation was correct
”I kno that must be Katrine, and her sister is behind her I will let her know I am here”
”How can you do that, Hans?” inquired Victor with surprise; ”she is more than a mile from us”
”I will show you, Victor; it is an old way of letting her know, that I practised for months, and she is accustomed to it See this!”
Hans took frolass, which was protected in a tin case; exalass so that its flash should be cast towards the plains; this he did very cautiously, having placed hiuide him as to the direction in which the reflection should be cast As soon as he had made these preparations to his satisfaction, he said--
”Now, Victor, rest the telescope on the branch of that tree, and tell ed the telescope as requested, whilst Hans slightly moved his mirror, so as to cast the flash in the direction of Katrine During the first few minutes no effect seemed to result fro slowly over the plain, her head cast down as though she were in deep thought, and looking neither to the right nor left
Her sister hen first seen by Victor, nearly a hundred yards behind her; but shortly afterwards she ran to her elder sister and took her hand All this Victor saith his telescope and described to Hans, who still flashed the ht direction
”Now they see it,” exclais her sister round; points here at us, and now they are both looking this way! See, Hans, the tall one is waving a handkerchief! Heavens, if a Matabili sees her, we shall be defeated in our plans! but now she has stopped waving her handkerchief, and is kissing her sister”
”Watch her now, Victor, and tell h the telescope, and shortly sahat he described in the folloords--”She seeo to: now she is walking quickly towards us, and her sister with her; she still comes on, and now she stops”
”Watch now, Victor, and see if she stoops and picks up any thing, and tell me how often she stoops”
”She does stoop,” said Victor ”The girl is clever if this is a signal; she has picked up soain and picks up so else; now she stands up and shakes her hankerchief, as though knocking off a fly; now she walks slowly back towards the kraal Hans, I fear she has not seen your signal”
”She has seen it, and has answered it, Victor,” said Hans; ”and in two hours she will come to this ravine; that is what she tells me”
A look of half wonder, half incredulity passed across the face of Victor at this remark of Hans
”You don't understand, I see, Victor, but I will explain Since I have been courting Katrine, I have been accustomed to ride to the krantz about two miles from her father's house, when there I would flash my mirror to let her knohere I was; this soon attracted her attention, and she had been taught by nal If I was to meet her at once, she only waved her handkerchief; but if she stooped and picked up so, I was to meet her in one hour; if she stooped twice, in two hours,--and so on Now you say, and I just distinguished, that she stooped twice; so ourwill be in two hours”
”But ill she coreed, that if I was to come to her house, she was to walk towards it, but if I was to meet her near some yelloood trees, where we often met, she was to walk in that direction; so I think I a shein this direction There were notthe last few months that Katrine did not see the flash of my mirror, and so it is not wonderful that she at once responded to the signal There, she has gone, Victor-- has she not?--into the kraal Now, you look to the horses, I atch here, and we shall soon have a report froh up the ravine; then, if all be safe and well, we may soon be on horseback, and on our way back to our friends; and then we need not fear any number of Matabili, for we can ride away from them with ease, for both Katrine and her sister ride like Amazons Ah, Bernhard, what news?”
”I don't like soin the bush behind us; at least a hundred have gone in there this , and the bush runs quite up to our ravine; these ht stalk to within a few yards of us, and we not know of their approach; it is necessary that we should be watchful, for the horses have e and unpleasant, and ash he got in the flank in our last expedition against these people How long will you stay here, Hans?”