ured mist or smoke, as if
the plain at a great distance was on fire!

Could that be so? Had some one fired the _karoo_ bushes? Or was it a
cloud of dust?

The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet it had
that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not be the dust
raised by a great herd of antelopes,--a migration of the springboks, for
instance? It extended for miles along the horizon, but Von Bloom knew
that these creatures often travel in flocks of greater extent than
miles. Still he could not think it was that.

He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to account
for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against the blue
sky--now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread
conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the west, and
already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had passed over the sun's
disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell upon the plain. Was it
the forerunner of some terrible storm?--of an earthquake?

Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not like an
ordinary cloud,--it was not like a cloud of dust,--it was not like
smoke. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No wonder that
he became anxious and apprehensive.

All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon the
plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted. Then
the two riders disappeared under its dun shadow!

Von Bloom rose to his feet, now seriously alarmed. What could it mean?

The exclamation to which he gave utterance brought little Trueey and
Totty from the house; and Hans with Jan had now got back with the sheep
and goats. All saw the singular phenomenon, but none of them could tell
what it was. All were in a state of alarm.

As they stood gazing, with hearts full of fear, the two riders appeared
coming out of the cloud, and then they were seen to gallop forward over
the plain in the direction of the house. They came on at full speed, but
long before they had got near, the voice of Swartboy could be heard
crying out,--

"Baas Von Bloom! _da springaans are comin'!--da springaan!--da
springaan!_"

CHAPTER III.

THE SPRING-HAAN.

"Ah _the springaan_!" cried Von Bloom, recognising the Dutch name for
the far-famed migratory locust.

The mystery was explained. The singular cloud that was spreading itself
over the plain was neither more nor less than a flight