the missionary, somewhat reproachfully, "I told
him, of course, that I should obey God rather than him, and strive to
bring any soul among his people to the knowledge of Christ. I left him
somewhat subdued, as determined language always subdues him; but the
moment any trouble befalls him, I know well what what will follow."

"Let me help you," said Ernest, deeply moved.

"Give me some of your work to do. I will do it to the best of my
power."

"Notwithstanding the consequences?" asked De Walden.

"Notwithstanding the consequences," answered Warley resolutely. And the
two shook hands with a warmth neither had before felt towards the other.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

MISSION TALK--IMPENDING DANGERS--AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND--KOBO'S STORY--
MAOMO'S DESIGNS--DE WALDEN'S RESOLVE--A NIGHT EXPEDITION.

Time passed on: the summer heats gradually gave way to the cooler
temperature of autumn, and that too began to pass into winter, and
nothing had been heard of Lavie or his guide. It had been calculated
that it would take them fully two months to reach Cape Town; but there
they would be able to obtain horses, which would so greatly shorten the
return journey, that ten or eleven weeks might be regarded as the
probable period of their entire absence. But March was exchanged for
April, April for May; June succeeded May, and July, June; and still
there came no tidings of the travellers. The boys grew anxious, and
might have become seriously alarmed, if it had not been that they found
so much to interest and employ them, that they had no time for indulging
morbid fancies.

All the four whites occupied one large hut, some five and twenty feet in
circumference, and provided with mats, karosses, and all the other
furniture of a Kaffir dwelling-house, so as to render it a very
comfortable residence. They also took all their meals together, which
were provided at the cost of the whole tribe, and prepared for them by
Kobo and Gaike, the two attendants chosen for them by Chuma. But before
many weeks had passed, they had separated, by common consent, into two
pairs; De Walden and Ernest being almost continually together, and Frank
and Nick Gilbert taking up with one another, as a matter of necessity.

Warley was deeply impressed by the character of the new friend he had
found. De Walden's devoted self-surrender, his resolute and
uncomplaining spirit under the most trying hardships, his cheerfulness,
and even joyousness, while en