stood a Hottentot named Jantje, who had been holding the
Dutchman's horse. He was a curious, wizened-up little fellow, dressed
in rags, and with hair like the worn tags of a black woollen carpet.
His age might have been anything between twenty-five and sixty; it was
impossible to form any opinion on the point. Just now, however,
his yellow monkey face was convulsed with an expression of intense
malignity, and he was standing there in the sunshine cursing rapidly
beneath his breath in Dutch, and shaking his fist after the form of the
retreating Boer--a very epitome of impotent but overmastering passion.

"What is he doing?" asked John.

Jess laughed, and answered, "Jantje does not like Frank Muller any more
than I do, but I don't know why. He will never tell me."

CHAPTER IV

BESSIE IS ASKED IN MARRIAGE

In due course John Niel recovered from his sprained ankle and the other
injuries inflicted on him by the infuriated cock ostrich (it is, by the
way, a humiliating thing to be knocked out of time by a feathered fowl),
and set to work to learn the routine of farm life. He did not find this
a disagreeable task, especially when he had so fair an instructress as
Bessie, who knew all about it, to show him the way in which he should
go. Naturally of an energetic and hard-working temperament, he very soon
fell more or less into the swing of the thing, and at the end of six
weeks began to talk quite learnedly of cattle and ostriches and sweet
and sour veldt. About once a week or so Bessie used to put him through
a regular examination as to his progress; also she gave him lessons in
Dutch and Zulu, both of which tongues she spoke to perfection; so
it will be seen that John did not lack for pleasant and profitable
employment. Also, as time went on he grew much attached to Silas Croft.
The old gentleman, with his handsome, honest face, his large and varied
stock of experience and his sturdy English character, made a great
impression on his mind. He had never met a man quite like him before.
Nor was this friendship unreciprocated, for his host took a wonderful
fancy to John Niel.

"You see, my dear," he explained to his niece Bessie, "he is quiet, and
he doesn't know much about farming, but he's willing to learn, and such
a gentleman. Now, where one has Kafirs to deal with, as on a place
like this, you must have a _gentleman_. Your mean white will never get
anything out of a Kafir; that's why the Boers kill them and flog t