ereby it will be seen that Harley Greenoak's advice to the other two
concerned, to keep silence as to the nature of the Slaang Kloof mystery,
had been rigidly adhered to.

Dick laughed. "You might as well ask that tree."

"Does he know?"

"I don't suppose he _knows_, but if he guesses he'd sooner hang himself
than let on a word."

"Do you know, Mr Greenoak has a reputation for clearing up mysteries.
There was that haunted farm on the Sneeuw River in our neighbourhood.
No one could stay there; all sorts of weird things happened. The new
owner--who bought it for a song, on the strength of its dark
reputation--got Mr Greenoak to investigate the affair, and he cleared
it up to the satisfaction of all concerned; and the new people never had
any more bother or disturbance. They've lived there ever since. But
Mr Greenoak never let go a word as to what the mystery was or how he
had put an end to it; no, not even to the owner himself."

"Well, I shan't ask him," said Dick Selmes, very interested, "for it's a
dead cert that if he never told anybody else he won't tell me."

"There are other stories about him, too. Once he was instrumental in
saving two Kafirs from being hanged--only just in the nick of time--for
the murder of a Dutchman's wife, by finding out that it had been done by
the Dutchman himself."

"Was the Dutchman hanged?"

"He would have been, only he got away to the Transvaal in time. He was
safe there, of course."

"Well, I hope if Greenoak gets on to any more enterprises of the kind
he'll cut me into them with him--that's all," said Dick. "Hallo!
Here's Kleinbooi."

"Baas," said the Fingo, saluting, "I got very good bit news. There's a
big tiger fast in the trap, up there, in Slaang Kloof. I go tell _Ou'
Baas_. He come quick shoot it."

"Oh, good--and good again!" cried Dick. "We'll go up there sharp."

"Oh, never mind me. Only, I don't feel inclined to _run_," said Hazel,
mischievously; for her companion in his excitement had started off with
quick eager strides.

"So sorry," answered Dick, contritely, at once falling back.

"Never mind," said the girl, "go on ahead and tell them. Things in
traps break loose sometimes if left too long. So the sooner we get
there the better."

"We? Are you going with us, then?" eagerly.

"Certainly. So tell them to saddle up a horse for me too. Now go on,
and don't lose any time, or the tiger may break loose before we get
there and get clean awa