could do
to restrain myself from laying my whip about his shoulders; but I
remembered that we had had enough trouble of late, and it would be as
well to avoid a fresh quarrel. So I said--

"Go, Maqala. Go, Sibuko. You have no business here. Go."

They muttered something as they slouched their blankets around them, and
strolled leisurely away. But for one moment, as their glances rested on
the boy, the expression of their countenances was such that I thought it
would be well if those school negotiations could be brought to a head as
soon as possible. Anyhow, that they were here to-day for no good was as
certain as that they were here at all.

"I wonder if they've been `slaag-ing,'" said George.

Evidently he was under no apprehension on the other head, which was as
well.

"I don't think so," I answered, "but we can count and see." So we
called Jabavu, and having halted our horses a little way apart, made him
drive the whole flock slowly between us. The count was correct.

The herd, who was one of Kuliso's people, declared that these two had
merely sat down for a while to have a chat. What harm could they do? he
said. They were not even disturbing the game, for they had no dogs.

This was undeniable, but I had a very uncomfortable feeling on the
subject of the encounter; and a conviction that these two scoundrels had
joined hands through no mere chance, but were watching their opportunity
for mischief, forced itself in upon my mind more and more; and as we
rode home in the gathering dusk, I almost forgot my own troubles in
thinking out what form such mischief might take, and how to guard
against it.

A presentiment is a wholly arbitrary thing and subject to no laws of
reasoning whatever. Such a presentiment was upon me then. I felt
irresistibly that some danger hung over some or all of us, and that when
we should be least on our guard. Well, the only way to defeat it was
never to be off our guard.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

DUMELA'S DEFECTION.

"What do you think of this, Kenrick?" said Brian, as I went into the
cattle kraal at milking time a couple of mornings after. "Here's old
Dumela saying he wants to leave."

The old cattle-herd was squatted on his heels on the ground. Brian and
his father were seated on a log listening to what he had to say. This
was not much. His brother's son had got into trouble at Gangelizwe's
"Great Place," away beyond the Tsomo, and had involved his brother too