out of some
sinister and mysterious scheme on the part of the witch doctor?

"Of course," assented Falkner, "we'll take him home with us now, at all
events. What a devilish lucky thing I happened to look back and see
him."

"Yes, and what a devilish lucky thing you happened to look wrong and
miss him," I answered, for I own to a feeling of petty jealousy that he
should be in a position to claim the credit of having found the dog.

"Oh-ah! But a miss is as good as a mile," he said, with a hoarse laugh.
"By Jove, but won't Aida be glad when I bring him back to her. Won't
she just?"

"I should think so. Well we'll have to keep a bright look-out on him
till we get home."

"How the deuce they managed to steal him beats me, I own," went on
Falkner. "Arlo was the very devil where niggers are concerned. Won't
let one of 'em come within fifty yards of him."

This would have puzzled me too, but for what Aida's letter had told me--
as well as for what I had witnessed myself up at the waterhole. There
was at any rate one "nigger" of which the above held not good. More
than ever did I connect Ukozi with the matter.

"Well, we've got him back," I said, "and it'll be our own fault if we
don't keep him."

The dog trotted along contentedly behind our horses, wagging his tail in
recognition if we spoke a word or two to him. The waggons were
outspanning for the night when we reached them--according to
instructions, but Arlo went straight up to Tom, whom of course he knew
fairly well, wagging his tail, in a sort of "how-d'you-do" manner. He
condescended likewise to approve of Jan Boom, who being a Xosa was, of
course, a sworn dog fancier, but the others he just tolerated.

We inspanned before daylight, intending to make a long trek, and that
evening to cross the Blood River and outspan for the night on the other
side. In the then state of the border I should not be sorry to be out
of the Zulu country. The trip had not been a signal success, and I
began to think of it as possibly the last I should make. I thought too,
of other possibilities, even as I had thought when taking my midnight up
and down walk beneath the stars--a custom I had before turning in, when
the weather permitted, as it generally did. The country was sparsely
inhabited, as I have said, and beyond passing three or four small kraals
we saw nobody.

We had started upon our afternoon trek. In another hour we should
strike the drift and have crosse