He walked away towards the pot with the bird in his hand. When he had
gone the Englishman turned round on to his back, and lay with his arm
across his forehead.

High, high up, between the straggling branches of the tree, in the
clear, blue African sky above him, he could see the vultures flying
southward.

*****

That evening the men sat eating their suppers round the fires. The large
troop had not come up; and the mules had been brought in; and they were
to make a start early the next morning.

Halket was released from his duty, and had come up, and lain down a
little in the background of the group who gathered round their fire.

The Colonial and the Englishman had given orders to all the men of their
mess that Halket was to be left in quiet, and no questions were to be
asked him; and the men, fearing the Colonial's size and the Englishman's
nerve, left him in peace. The men laughed and chatted round the fire,
while the big Colonial ladled out the mealies and rice into tin plates,
and passed them round to the men. Presently he passed one to Halket,
who lay half behind him leaning on his elbow. For a while Halket ate
nothing, then he took a few mouthfuls; and again lay on his elbow.

"You are eating nothing, Halket," said the Englishman, cheerily, looking
back.

"I am not hungry now," he said. After a while he took out his red
handkerchief, and emptied carefully into it the contents of the plate;
and tied it up into a bundle. He set it beside him on the ground, and
again lay on his elbow.

"You won't come nearer to the fire, Halket?' asked the Englishman.

"No, thank you, the night is warm."

After a while Peter Halket took out from his belt a small hunting knife
with a rough wooden handle. A small flat stone lay near him, and he
passed the blade slowly up and down on it, now and then taking it up,
and feeling the edge with his finger. After a while he put it back in
his belt, and rose slowly, taking up his small bundle and walked away to
the tent.

"He's had a pretty stiff day," said the Colonial. "I expect he's glad
enough to turn in."

Then all the men round the fire chatted freely over his concerns. Would
the Captain stick to his word tomorrow? Was Halket going to do it?
Had the Captain any right to tell one man off for the work, instead
of letting them fire a volley? One man said he would do it gladly in
Halket's place, if told off; why had he made such a fool of himself? So
they chatted till ni