. At least she grew quiet for that time. For me, I snatched up the
rug--afterwards I found it was Noma's best kaross, made by Basutos of
chosen cat-skins, and worth three oxen--and I fled, followed by Koos.

Now the kraal of the chief, my father, Makedama, was two hundred paces
away, and I must go thither, for there Baleka slept. Also I dared not
enter by the gate, because a man was always on guard there. So I cut my
way through the reed fence with my assegai and crept to the hut where
Baleka was with some of her half-sisters. I knew on which side of the
hut it was her custom to lie, and where her head would be. So I lay down
on my side and gently, very gently, began to bore a hole in the grass
covering of the hut. It took a long while, for the thatch was thick,
but at last I was nearly through it. Then I stopped, for it came into my
mind that Baleka might have changed her place, and that I might wake the
wrong girl. I almost gave it over, thinking that I would fly alone, when
suddenly I heard a girl wake and begin to cry on the other side of the
thatch. "Ah," I thought, "that is Baleka, who weeps for her brother!" So
I put my lips where the thatch was thinnest and whispered:--

"Baleka, my sister! Baleka, do not weep! I, Mopo, am here. Say not a
word, but rise. Come out of the hut, bringing your skin blanket."

Now Baleka was very clever: she did not shriek, as most girls would have
done. No; she understood, and, after waiting awhile, she rose and crept
from the hut, her blanket in her hand.

"Why are you here, Mopo?" she whispered, as we met. "Surely you will be
killed!"

"Hush!" I said. And then I told her of the plan which I had made. "Will
you come with me?" I said, when I had done, "or will you creep back into
the hut and bid me farewell?"

She thought awhile, then she said, "No, my brother, I will come, for I
love you alone among our people, though I believe that this will be the
end of it--that you will lead me to my death."

I did not think much of her words at the time, but afterwards they came
back to me. So we slipped away together, followed by the dog Koos,
and soon we were running over the veldt with our faces set towards the
country of the Zulu tribe.

CHAPTER IV. THE FLIGHT OF MOPO AND BALEKA

All the rest of that night we journeyed, till even the dog was tired.
Then we hid in a mealie field for the day, as we were afraid of being
seen. Towards the afternoon we heard voices, and, looking thr