, the Kaffir was gesticulating and talking away in broken
English, mingled with more words of his own tongue; and when Dyke joined
them and took the rein of his little cob, the man turned excitedly to
him.

"What's the matter, Jack?"

The Kaffir looked at him suspiciously for a moment or two, but Dyke
mounted and returned the gaze in the most unruffled manner.

"Big rain--big wet rain--big water--big bucket--all wet, wet," cried the
Kaffir.

"Make the mealies grow," said Dyke coolly.

"Make mealie grow!" cried the man. Then a change came over him. The
look of doubt and wonder became one of certainty, and his face
expanded into a broad grin which displayed all his white teeth.
"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!" he cried, pointing to a couple of wet patches on
the leg of the boy's trousers; "you make rain--Massa Dyky make rain.
Wet, wet. Ah-ah-ah-ah!"

"You come along and help drive the ostrich," said Dyke, setting his cob
to canter; and, followed by the Kaffir at a quick trot, which soon dried
up his moisture, they went over the heated red sand toward where the
speck in the distance had been pointed out as the object they sought.

CHAPTER THREE.

AN OSTRICH RACE.

"I say, Joe, you are right," said Dyke now, with animation. "'Tisn't
half so hot riding."

"Of course not. One begins to get moist, and the sun and air bring a
feeling of coolness. It's only the making a start. Now then, shall I
try to cut him off?"

"No, no!" cried Dyke excitedly; "I'll do it. I'll make the brute run.
You follow up."

"Right!" said Emson; "that is, unless he tracks my way."

"Oh, he won't do that," said Dyke, with a merry laugh, and in his
animation the boy seemed to be quite transformed.

It was a good long ride to where the ostrich they sought to bring back
to its pen could be seen stalking about, looking about as big as a
guinea-fowl, but gradually growing taller and taller to its pursuers as
they rode on. After a time it ceased picking about and ran first in one
direction and then in another, as if undecided which line of country to
take before leading its pursuers a wild race out and across the veldt.

By this time it looked fully four feet high; soon after it was fully
five, as it stood up with its neck stretched out, and its weak,
large-eyed, flat head turned to them with a malicious expression.

The trio now separated, the horsemen riding more and more apart as they
advanced, till they were each a couple of hundred