Ish ver shorry you go get the money for the two _cameels_," said he.
"Mine two bruders and mine vrow's bruder stand chance to lose it now.
Ish ver shorry for them, you know."

On further conversation it was discovered that his two brothers and a
brother of his wife had left for the north seven months before, on a
hunting excursion, their principal object being to procure the two young
giraffes for which the reward of five hundred pounds had been offered.
They were to visit the country of the Bakwains, and had taken with them
a native servant who belonged to that tribe. Their return was hourly
expected, and had been so for more than a month, though nothing had been
heard of them since their departure.

It was but natural that the boer should prefer that his own kinsmen
might obtain the reward, instead of a party of strangers; and his having
so candidly expressed his regrets in that regard was rather a
circumstance in his favour. His guests ascribed it to his open,
straightforward manner, made a little more free by application of the
"smoke."

It was not until an old Dutch clock in a corner of the kitchen had
struck two, that the young men--who pleaded their fatigue after a long
day's march--were allowed to retire to their beds.

They were shown into a large room, where a good soft couch had been
prepared for each of them. Their arduous journeying seemed nearly over;
for they had reached a place where people slept with their faces
screened from the faint light of the stars, and without depending on the
nature of the earth beneath them for the quality of their couch.

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR.

"STRAYED OR STOLEN."

It was not until ten o'clock next morning that Hans awoke and then
aroused his companions.

"We should be ashamed of ourselves," exclaimed Willem, as he hastily
commenced making his toilet. "We have swallowed too much smoke and
overslept ourselves!"

"No," answered Hans, who was always anxious to prove himself the
philosopher of the company. "We should rather feel pride in the
circumstance that the small quantity we drank has produced so great an
effect. It is proof that we have not been in the habit of indulging in
the use of ardent spirits, and that pride we should ever strive to
maintain."

The travellers were soon in the presence of their host and hostess, whom
they found waiting to do the honours of a well-appointed breakfast, to
which each of the hunters except Willem sat down. Willem co