he has pulled up has been just like me, and he'd be
just wonderful only he's so low-sperrited about his governor--and no
wonder. Young Mr Dean too's just as bad, and he arn't got the pluck
left in him to do his cousin no good. Heave to alongside of him and say
a word or two."

"All right; but who's to heave to with his arms and legs all tied
together behind him like a market calf?"

"Well, it arn't worse for you, messmate, than it is for me. I don't
like it a bit, and it's all very well to call a fellow's arms his
feelers, but there arn't a bit of feel left in mine."

"No," said Buck, "and I don't feel as if I'd got any. Just look and
see."

"Oh, they are all right, messmate. I did think of setting to and
gnawing through them canes last night; but they would only have tied
them up again, and tighter too."

Buck nodded, giving his companion in misfortune a friendly look, and as
he was about to approach closer to Mark, he stopped to whisper, "I don't
know what to say, mate, for whenever I look at the poor plucky chap and
think about all he's gone through, I feel as if I should like to sit
down and howl. But there, that will do. I have thought on it now."

The next minute, after making a quiet approach so as not to draw the
attention of the blacks who were driving them, as he said, "like a span
o' oxen," Buck was alongside of the two boys.

"Say, Mr Mark," he said, "don't that there big kopje put you in mind of
going up and finding that there cave?"

Mark started, for his thoughts had a far different trend, and he shook
his head.

"I've been a-thinking of it, sir, ever since it come into sight.
'Member finding that there walking mummy as Dan said was such an old
'un?"

Mark shook his head.

"Oh, but you do, Mr Dean. I wish we had had time, all of us, to have
got up there before the niggers came that night. We could have kept
them back for a twelvemonth if we had only knowed."

Poor Buck had joined the boys with the best intentions, but seeing the
look of agony Dean directed at him he slackened his pace and let the
pair go on without another word.

"Why, what's the good of that?" said Dan, as the two men were alongside
again. "You didn't half talk to 'em."

"Didn't half talk to 'em, my lad? I talked a deal too much. Why, I no
sooner opened my mouth than, as they said of the chap, I put my foot in
it. Well, what's it going to be?" continued the big fellow
sadly--"regular heartbreaking work fo