in case we move away; but we
not do that; we sit here quietly till the caravan arrive."

"Do you think Mr Harvey will bring the whole caravan?"

"Sure to do dat," Jumbo said. "He no able to leave party to protect the
waggons and to send party here to us; he bring the caravan all along
together. If he attacked, he make laager; but me no tink dey attack.
The people ready to cut off little party; den the chief say he not
responsible, but if his people attack the caravan dat different thing."

The hours passed slowly; the heat in the bottom, as the sun, almost
overhead, poured its rays down into it, was very great. As the hours
passed on the heat became less oppressive, but it was with intense
pleasure that the boys saw Mr Harvey suddenly appear on the brow, and
checking his horse gaze into the valley.

They leapt to their feet and gave a shout, which was answered by Mr
Harvey.

"Are they round you still?" he shouted.

"No; they have all gone," Dick replied; and Mr Harvey at once rode
down.

By the time he reached them the hunters had freed the legs of the
horses, and these struggled to their feet.

"You have given me a nice fright," Mr Harvey said, as he rode up.

"We have had a pretty good fright ourselves," Dick replied. "If it had
not been for Blacking pluckily getting through them to take you the
news, I don't think we should have seen daylight. Is he much hurt,
sir?"

"He has got a nasty wound," Mr Harvey replied. "An arrow has gone
between his ribs. He fell down from loss of blood when he reached us,
and had we gone much farther he would have been overtaken. They were
close upon his heels when he got in. Fortunately I halted the caravan
soon after you started; when I saw the herds making way I thought it
better to wait till you rejoined us. It was well I did so; we noticed
him a couple of miles away, and when we saw he was pursued I went out
with six men and met him half a mile from the caravan. He had just
strength left to tell us what had happened. Then we went back to the
caravan, and moved out towards you. We were obliged to come slowly, for
there are a good many natives out on the plains, and twice they looked
so threatening that I had to laager and treat them to a few distant
shots. They evidently did not like the range of my rifle, and so I have
come on without any serious fighting. I have been in a great fright
about you; but Blacking, when he recovered from his faint, told me that