ee um inside um head. Can't see with eyes. Too far away.
But Joeboy know jus' where they are, and feel see um. Come along and
no talk. Take hold, and no let go."

I grasped the long handle of Joeboy's assagai, which had touched me
lightly on the side as he spoke; so there was no chance of our being
separated in the dark and having to call to each other with probably
Boer outposts within hearing. The plunge had been made, and now I began
to see how terrible was the responsibility I had undertaken. For a few
minutes after leaving our friends I began to ask myself whether Denham
had not been right in calling it a mad project; but these thoughts soon
passed away as I pulled myself together with the determination to do
what my friends had told me: "Go in and win." There was too much to do
and too much excitement now to leave room for hesitation and thoughts
about risk and chances of discovery. Joeboy, too, was a splendid fellow
for a companion: he went steadily on as if the whole business was some
exciting game in which he played the chief part.

Fortune seemed to be favouring us so far as the weather was concerned,
for a brisk wind was blowing, and the clouds overhead veiled every star;
so the night was profoundly dark.

After tramping on for about ten minutes, Joeboy stopped and stood
motionless; then he whispered to me to come close up, without turning
his head when he spoke.

"Boss Val lissum with both ears," he said. "Tell Joeboy when he hear
Doppie. Joeboy tell Boss Val too."

"Right," I said; and we went on again so silently that I did not hear my
own footsteps in the sandy earth.

There was no risk of meeting with any impediment, for the veldt from the
old fortress right away to the place where I had marked down the wagons
was a smooth, undulating plain. What we had to dread was coming across
a Boer outpost or patrol; but I had little fear of that without ample
warning, for I had had frequent experience in hunting expeditions of the
keenness of Joeboy's senses of sight and hearing. I was just beginning
to wonder how long it would be before he gave me warning of any danger
being near, when he stopped short again. I closed up so that I could
lay my hands upon his shoulders. Then he whispered very softly:

"Hear Doppie soon. Boss Val go down when Joeboy kneel."

"Right," I said again, straining my eyes right and left to get sight of
the Boer camp; and, though I judged that their fires would be all