er. 'Courage, Inkoos;[3] in an
hour's time you will be free.'

[1] Boer elephant guns.

[2] 'Henriques has already told us about the crossing at Dupree's
Drift.'

[3] Great chief.

CHAPTER XIII

THE DRIFT OF THE LETABA

The dusk was gathering fast as we neared the stream. From the stagnant
reaches above and below a fine white mist was rising, but the long
shallows of the ford were clear. My heart was beginning to flutter
wildly, but I kept a tight grip on myself and prayed for patience. As
I stared into the evening my hopes sank. I had expected, foolishly
enough, to see on the far bank some sign of my friends, but the tall
bush was dead and silent.

The drift slants across the river at an acute angle, roughly S.S.W. I
did not know this at the time, and was amazed to see the van of the
march turn apparently up stream. Laputa's great voice rang out in some
order which was repeated down the column, and the wide flanks of the
force converged on the narrow cart-track which entered the water. We
had come to a standstill while the front ranks began the passage.

I sat shaking with excitement, my eyes straining into the gloom. Water
holds the evening light for long, and I could make out pretty clearly
what was happening. The leading horsemen rode into the stream with
Laputa in front. The ford is not the best going, so they had to pick
their way, but in five or ten minutes they were over. Then came some
of the infantry of the flanks, who crossed with the water to their
waists, and their guns held high above their heads. They made a
portentous splashing, but not a sound came from their throats. I shall
never know how Laputa imposed silence on the most noisy race on earth.
Several thousand footmen must have followed the riders, and disappeared
into the far bush. But not a shot came from the bluffs in front.

I watched with a sinking heart. Arcoll had failed, and there was to be
no check at the drift. There remained for me only the horrors at
Inanda's Kraal. I resolved to make a dash for freedom, at all costs,
and was in the act of telling Arcoll's man to cut my bonds, when a
thought occurred to me.

Henriques was after the rubies, and it was his interest to get Laputa
across the river before the attack began. It was Arcoll's business to
split the force, and above all to hold up the leader. Henriques would
tell him, and for that matter he must have assumed himself, that Laputa
would ride in th