f bread and bacon, had joined us, and showed
at once that he meant to help. After taking a big bite, he put his
sandwich down while he carried trees to the places where they were to be
planted, and after putting them down, returned for another bite, giving
me a grin every time.

Then the spades were taken up; and by that time the Boer had eaten and
drunk as much as he could, and gone to sit on the big chest in front of
the wagon, where he filled his pipe and began to smoke, never offering
to help, but watching us with his eyes half-closed.

"Here, steady, nigger!" said my father, smiling; "we're not going to
bury bullocks. Little holes like this just where I put in these pegs.--
You keep him in hand, Val. I never saw such a strong fellow before."

The great black fellow grinned and dug away, making the rich and soft
dry earth fly as he turned it out; while he laughed with delight every
time I checked him, and followed me to another place.

By that time he had finished his sandwich, and a thought occurred to me.

"Here, Bob," I said; "put down those pegs"--for he was marching about
with us, looking very serious, with the bundle of pegs under his arm.
"Go and ask Aunt Jenny to cut another big bit of bread and a very large
slice of bacon, and bring 'em here."

Bob ran off, and the big black looked at me, threw back his head, and
laughed, and laughed again, as he drove the spade deeply into the rich
loamy soil; and when the bread and bacon came he laughed, and bit with
those great white teeth of his, and munched and chewed like the
lying-down oxen, and dug and dug, till my father said, "No more
to-night," and bade me carry in the spades.

That night, before going to bed, tired, but happy with the thoughts of
our orchard to come, I walked with father beneath the great stars, going
round the place--father with his rifle over his shoulder--to see if all
was safe.

We went straight to the wagon, to find the oxen all lying down chewing
their cud, and from under the tilt there came a deep, heavy snore; but
there was also a rustling sound, a big black head popped out, and the
man said, in a deep, thick voice:

"Boss, hear lion?"

"No," said my father sharply. "Did you, boy?"

"Iss. _Oom! Wawk, wawk, wawk_. Boss, lissum."

We stood there in the silence, and for a full minute I could hear
nothing but the deep snore of the Boer and chewing of the oxen. Then,
distinctly heard, but evidently at a great distance, t