ill be very glad of your company;
and he has some sisters, who won't be ill pleased to have an English
gentleman to talk to, as they must lead a somewhat monotonous life in
that out-of-the-way spot, with only an occasional visit from a Dutch
boer and his frau, or, when the weather is not too hot, a gallop through
the wilds."

"I am half inclined to ask Hendricks to let me accompany him on his
expedition into the interior," said Crawford. "I am afraid I should get
tired of the sort of life you describe. However, I shall be able to
judge better when I have seen the place."

"Or the young ladies, eh?" observed Denis; "I fancy something will
depend upon that, won't it?"

Crawford made no reply.

This conversation caused the journey to appear shorter than might
otherwise have been the case. Lionel and Percy, who generally kept
together, amused themselves by talking away in a lively fashion, while
Hendricks rode ahead, thinking over his plans for the future, and
considering how he could best get free from King Panda and his son, the
Prince Regent, for such was the rank held by Cetchwayo at that time. At
length a kraal was seen on the slope of a hill, rising gradually from
the plain. It was at present the habitation of Panda. The warriors
raised a shout, intended as a compliment to the king, and again beating
their shields and shaking their assegais, they made signals to the
drivers to urge on the waggon at a faster speed than heretofore. The
Hottentots, observing their threatening gestures, obeyed, and the ground
being even, the oxen pulled away, incited by the lash of the drivers,
which came down with incessant whisks on their flanks.

Hendricks, knowing the customs of the country, put his horse into a
trot, Crawford and Denis and the two boys imitating him, and thus the
warriors and their captives appeared to be rushing forward eagerly
towards the palace of the king. The chief who had captured them hurried
on first to announce the success of his expedition. Just before he
reached the kraal he was met by a tall stout chief, evidently a person
of much consideration, for as he approached he bowed again and again,
and then crouched down to the ground, apparently not daring to look up
at his face. The tall chief wore, like the others, a cap stuck full of
ostrich and crane feathers, with lappets of monkey skins, a kilt of the
same skins round his waist, and a sort of cloak hanging over his
shoulders, fastened in f