e chief and several others whom he called by name,
were men incapable of practising a deception!

This he professed to know from a long acquaintance with them.

The hunters were now within the territory over which the Colonial
Government claimed and sometimes enforced dominion, and the Hottentots
were threatened with the vengeance of English justice in the event of
their not taking care of the old man and child, or should they again
expose him as they had already done.

They were told that a messenger should be sent to them within a few
weeks, to learn if their orders had been obeyed; and, having delivered
up the two helpless beings to the headman of the village, the travellers
once more proceeded on their way.

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE.

"THE DUTCHMAN'S FIRESIDE."

A few more days' journey brought them into a neighbourhood inhabited by
several Dutch "boers." They were now travelling upon a track dignified
by the name of "road," which only benefited them so far as between the
rivers it conducted them without difficulty from one crossing-place to
another.

For the first time in several months they saw fields under cultivation
by white labour, and were able to procure a substance called "bread."

One evening, as they were preparing to encamp near the habitation of a
well-to-do appearing boer, they received an invitation from the
proprietor to make his house their home for the night.

A heavy cold rain had been falling most part of the day, and to all
appearance the weather would be no better during the night. The
invitation was gladly accepted, and the travellers, grouped around the
wide hearth of the boer's kitchen fire, were enjoying that sense of
happiness we all feel to a greater or less extent when perfectly secure
from a storm heard raging without.

The horses and cattle had been driven under large sheds. The young
giraffes were secured in a place by themselves. Congo, Swartboy, and
the Makololo were in a hut near by, with some Hottentot servants of the
baas boer.

Their host was a free-hearted, cheerful sort of fellow, only too
thankful that circumstances had given him some guests to entertain him.
His tobacco was of the best quality, and the supply of "Cape Smoke"--the
native peach brandy--was apparently unlimited.

According to his own account, he had been a great hunter during his
youth; and there was nothing he liked better than to relate incidents of
his own adventures in the chase, or to lis