ty of shaking hands with Englishmen at all. Among these was
Hermanus Delport.

"_Ja_, wait a bit!" he growled, half aloud. "Wait a bit, friend
Wenlock! If I don't put a bullet through you before this year is dead,
I'll--I'll become an Englishman."

And he rubbed some raw spirit on his now fast-swelling bruises, a dark
and vengeful scowl upon his heavy face. The seed scattered by Andries
Botma had been well sown.

Chucking a sixpence to the ragged, yellow-skinned Hottentot, who sprang
away from the horses' heads, Colvin whipped up, sending the buggy
spinning over the flat Karroo road, the dust flying up obliquely from
the hoofs and wheels in a long, fan-like cloud. They were returning
from Schalkburg, the district town, and had a good two hours of smart
driving to reach Spring Holt, the Wenlocks' farm, before dark--for they
had made a late start from the township. For the first hour Frank was a
bit drowsy, then, when he had pulled himself together a bit, his guide,
philosopher, and friend judged it time to deliver something of a
lecture.

"Frank, you know this won't do. I thought you had more self-control.
The last two times we have been into Schalkburg together you've come out
boozy."

"Oh, hang it, old chap, it was so beastly hot! If we had started before
breakfast instead of at twelve, it would have been all right. But
Schalkburg is such a dry hole, and you get such a thirst on!"

"I don't. But you will get liquoring up with every man Jack who speaks
to you."

"Well, but--you can't refuse. And then you only go in there once in a
blue moon. Surely one can have a bit of a spree."

"No, you needn't--not that sort of spree. And you can refuse. I often
do. No--no--old chap, you can't afford to make a Hottentot of yourself,
and remember, you've got womenkind to look after."

"Er--I say, Colvin, you know. Don't let go anything to them about this,
will you?"

"Of course not. Don't you know me better than that? But squarely,
Frank, unless you undertake to get on another tack I'll never go into
Schalkburg with you again."

"Anyone would think I was a regular boozer," said Frank, sulkily.

"That's just what I don't want you to become. And look here, you jolly
near got up the devil's own row at Reichardt's. Those Dutchmen will
spread all over the country that we were both roaring tight. Besides,
what if that row had come off--we should come home nice objects with our
noses broken and our teeth