ws."

A little later the party emerged into the open, and were delighted to
find that there was a very wide clearing, the forest standing back on
all sides for more than a mile. And in this space the ground rose
steeply, till its crest blotted out the view beyond.

"Rock," said Meinheer Van Somering, with a chuckle of delight. "Dad was
ze report, I zink. We were told dad ze mine was well placed. I agree,
Meinheer, for in zis coundry where zere is rock zere is gold."

At this moment a shout rang out in the silence, and a figure appeared on
the crest of the rock.

"Our Dutch agent," said Mr Pepson. "He is coming down to us, and soon
we shall be at the stockade."

Indeed, within a quarter of an hour the agent had joined them, making
his way down the steep rocky hill by a path which was invisible from
where they stood.

"Mein word!" exclaimed the Dutchman, as he stared at his agent and
watched his agility as he leaped down the steep path. "If zat is ze
only way do ze stockade, we shall be dead. Yes, I tell you, we shall
die, for who could climb such a blace? Id is too steeb."

"And happens to be the nearest way," replied Mr Pepson, reassuringly.
"Never fear, Meinheer, there will be an easier way down."

That the agent was glad to see some white men could not be doubted, for
he rushed toward them with a shout, and commenced to greet Meinheer Van
Somering volubly. Then he was introduced to the others, and shook hands
with an eagerness which showed that for many a week he had had no one
there with whom to practise the art.

"Glad to see you, gentlemen," he cried, in excellent English. "That am
I, for it is dull here. When you get to the top I shall show you why.
You will see to the right and left trees in one dense mass. To the
north and south there is the same. Nothing but trees, and the blue sky
overhead. It becomes tiring. But now you are here and I shall have
company. Come this way. We can go by the path which I have just
followed, or we can skirt round the hill."

They elected to go by the latter path, for the steep ascent would have
been too much for Meinheer. After an hour's walk they found themselves
on the far side of the rocky highland, and there before them lay the
stockade, high up on the side of the hill, and within an easy rifle-shot
of the forest.

"Trust a man who has been in these forests before to choose the right
spot," said the agent, as he pointed it out. "This is the windwa