The Golden Rock Part 29

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

SUSPICIONS.

As the two hors.e.m.e.n pa.s.sed over a ridge one of the blacks rose from the fire, stretched himself, and walked off slowly towards the oxen hidden by a cl.u.s.ter of sugar bushes, whose sweet perfume filled the air.

A little folding-table was placed under the canvas "scherm," tea was made, and the two men waited for Miss Anstrade to appear from the waggon, whither she had retired to change her gown for a travelling-dress. This dress had been on her mind for several days past, in fact, ever since they arrived in Cape Town, and she had suffered extremely because she had not been able to discuss its shape and design with a qualified critic. The sail, falling over the back of the waggon, was drawn aside, a neat boot appeared, then a gaitered leg, and, with a laugh and a jump, she stood before them challenging their opinions.

The two men, not knowing, in their stupidity, what was expected of them, rose stolidly, and made way for her to reach her seat.

"Well," she said, "what do you think of it?"

Hume took a swift look, which embraced short skirts, a neat waist, and then looked away startled, as though a pair of shapely legs were something quite new.

Webster had no such qualms of mistaken modesty.

"A very sensible dress," he said, with a broadening smile.

"Sensible, is that all?" and she turned round.

"Yes, sensible and pretty, of course. It gives you freedom to move, and will keep your skirts from getting wet when the dew is on the gra.s.s."

"Will you take a suggestion?" asked Hume.

"Hum," she said, "I presume you wish me to lengthen the dress?"

"Heaven forbid! No; but I think it would be well if you placed a band of leather round the skirt."

"Leather; good gracious, why?"

"To prevent the thorns from ripping the dress into rags. The 'wacht-en-beetje' thorn will be always calling you to 'wait a bit.'

Now, come and preside at our first meal in the veld."

When they were half through, the boy returned to the fire, sat down with his feet to it, and his hands spread out to keep the heat from his face.

Hume rose and touched him on his shoulder.

"Where have you been?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders, and said in Dutch to his companion: "What says the Englishman?"

Hitherto, Hume had not spoken in Dutch, and the Kaffirs were off their guard.

"Get up," he said sternly, and as the boy did not move at once he jerked him to his feet.

"Yoh!" he exclaimed, with a look of astonishment.

"Now walk;" and Frank pointed to the clump of bushes; and the Kaffir, understanding from the gesture, sullenly went forward.

"What is it?" asked Webster, coming out of the shelter with Miss Anstrade.

"I'm about to teach this fellow a lesson, which he needs, as he is evidently under the impression that we are greenhorns."

The whole party continued, the black suspicious and sullen, Miss Anstrade and Webster curious, and Hume with his brows knitted. On reaching the bush the Kaffir stopped and pointed to the oxen, which were grazing contentedly.

Hume glanced back to the waggon, took in the direction taken by the two hors.e.m.e.n, then rounded the bush, and walked straight across to a point beyond the ridge which intercepted the road. There he stopped, and catching the black by his arm, directed his attention to hoof-marks in the dust, and the spoor of an in-toed native foot.

"What did you say to the baas?" he asked.

The Kaffir put on an innocent look, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Measure his foot, Jim!"

Webster, who now grasped the situation, lifted the boy's foot, which was small, though broad at the root of the toes, took the measurement, then pa.s.sed the string over the spoor on the dust.

"It is his. What does it mean?"

"It means that he has some understanding with those two men, and that he left the waggon to meet them here."

He then sent the boy for the oxen with orders to bring them in at once, and returned with the others to the waggon to prepare for the next trek, the night trek and the longest, since the oxen worked better than in the heat of the sun.

The waggon driver, Klaas, was still seated at the fire when they got back, and looked at them with a smile, which scarcely succeeded in disguising his anxiety.

"Klaas, get ready to inspan."

"Inspan, baas, and the night is near by! Better stay here, baas, till sun up. Plenty better stay."

"It will be better for you to do what I tell you. Here come the oxen; now, look alive!"

Klaas reached out for a coal, cradled it in the palm of his hand, and then deftly fixed it in the bowl of his long native pipe. He then rose and straightened out the trek-tow, the long chain with the eight yokes.

The eighteen oxen were driven up and formed up in a line on the left, when the loops of the rheims were pa.s.sed over the wide horns, and the couples, in their proper order, pulled over to the other side, when they faced round, each couple to its own yoke. The pole was then fixed on over the necks, the throat-straps being pa.s.sed round from "skei" notch to "skei" notch. When all were yoked the oxen were standing on the right, sideways, and at the word "Hambaka"--trek--the left ox of each couple had to bear the sc.r.a.ping of the chain as it was pulled over his back.

Miss Anstrade watched the scene with great interest, being particularly impressed with the confident way in which the two Kaffirs handled the big horned oxen.

There is a certain charm about waggon travelling at night, and Miss Anstrade, seated later on inside upon some soft karosses, felt her spirits returning. The place which was to be her bedroom and boudoir for some weeks was not comfortless by any means. Its length was about fifteen feet, the breadth across the canvas roof nearly six feet and the length from the level of the bedding about four feet six inches. From one of the laths there was suspended a lamp; on one side there were numerous canvas pockets for toilet necessaries, etcetera; and on the other a battery of three guns was lashed to the rafters. At the head of the tent the opening was closed by a heavy canvas flap, b.u.t.toned down, and kept in place at the bottom by the driver's box, and at the end there was another flap, which could be rolled up at will.

Hume and Webster were seated at the back with their feet dangling.

"What do you think was the object of those men," asked Webster, "in speaking to our boy?"

"That is what puzzles me. They may be merely curious about our venture, especially as our presence here would be inexplicable to Lieutenant Gobo, who last saw us hot-bound for Brazil, or they may suspect that we are in search of gold, as prospecting parties are continually setting out. Any way, I do not antic.i.p.ate trouble from them."

"You are mistaken," said Miss Anstrade slowly; "the men of the South do not forget an insult, and you deeply wounded the vanity of the little man at Madeira. You may be sure he has the will to injure you, and if the opportunity is provided he will do so. Why not make the servants confess?"

"At the proper time," said Frank, who, since the journey had commenced, unconsciously adopted an air of authority. "At present they have a contempt for us, and may betray themselves out of carelessness, if, of course, there is any understanding between them and our friends. And how do you like this slow mode of travelling?"