re is a rock in there the Kafir could jump on
to escape Gideon Roux's dogs?"

"That is the story, Baas."

"Well, I'm going to have a look inside there. You remain here with the
horses, and if anyone passes you can say I have gone after a reebok
under the krantz."

The ascent, though steep, was not long, and soon Colvin was standing
within the mouth of the hole. It was a jagged fissure--running about
twenty feet into the cliff, then narrowing to a low tunnel of about ten
more.

Yes, this was quite correct. There was a rock--or rather a boulder.
Colvin pictured, by the light of a flaming vesta, the hunted man
standing gingerly on the apex of this to avoid the excited springs and
snaps of the dogs. There was no sign, however, of any human remains--
but--wait. Hallo! what was this?

The tunnel, which narrowed in from the end of the fissure, was half
blocked. Colvin lighted another vesta, and bent down. Through the
piled-up dust he made out what looked like a square rectangular stone.
Stone? No--it was wood. It was one of three long flat packing-cases,
piled one on top of the other. His nerves tingled with excitement.
What discovery was he on the point of making? At any rate, whatever it
might be, he would make it.

Now that his vision was accustomed to the semi-gloom he had no need of
artificial light. The glimmering that entered from the outer day was
sufficient. He hauled out the uppermost case. But how to open it?
That might be done. Fortunately, he was provided with a large
pocket-knife, containing various appliances which included a strong
screwdriver. What was he going to discover? Human remains? Perhaps.
Why, there might be others stowed away in like manner; victims of the
wild and lawless inhabitants of this remote mountain district.

Then it occurred to him that the chest was very heavy. What on earth
could it contain, and, by the way, what right had he to pry into its
contents? For a moment he paused. But the curiosity and excitement
attending upon this discovery were too great. Possibly, even, these
chests and their contents had lain there for years and years unknown to
anybody--even to the owner of the wild, and stony, and scattered
stock-run on which they were hidden, but remembering Gert's story that
did not seem likely. Anyway, he would share the mystery with whoever
held it. That could do no harm to anybody.

The lid was strongly screwed down. A few minutes of vigorous pers