panning lest Dolf Norbury should yet find means to play us some bad
trick.

And then--for home!

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

"WELCOME HOME!"

I envied Falkner as he parted company with me, for he wanted to go
straight home, and my store was all out of his way in the other
direction. We had returned by the same route as that by which we had
gone, skirting the border and re-crossing by Rorke's Drift; and no
further incident worthy of note had befallen us.

"See here, Falkner," I said, as he would have left me in cool offhand
fashion. "We've made this trip and taken its ups and downs together,
and more than once I've had reason to be glad that you were along. But
if we haven't got on as well as we might during the last part of it,
really I can't see that it is altogether my fault. Nor need we bear
each other any ill-will," and I put out my hand.

He stared, then shook it, but not cordially, mumbling something in a
heavy, sullen sort of way. Then he rode off.

It had been a temptation to accompany him, and he had even suggested it,
but I saw through his ill-concealed relief when I declined. I had
plenty to attend to on first arriving home again, and it struck me that
neglect of one's business was hardly a recommendation in the eyes of
anybody.

Yes, I had plenty to attend to. The waggons had to be off-loaded and
kraals knocked into repair for holding the trade cattle, and a host of
other things. I paid off Mfutela and his son, and sent them back well
contented, and with something over. But Jan Boom, when it came to his
turn, seemed not eager to go.

Then he put things plainly. Would I not keep him? He would like to
remain with me, and I should find him useful. There were the trade
cattle to be looked after, to begin with, and then, there was nothing he
could not turn his hand to. He would not ask for high wages, and was
sure I should find him worth them--yes, well worth them, he added. Had
he not been worth his pay so far?

I admitted readily that this was so, and the while I was wondering why
he should be so anxious to remain? There seemed some meaning underlying
the manner in which he almost begged me to keep him, and this set me
wondering. Going back over our trip I could not but remember that he
had proved an exceedingly willing, handy and good-tempered man, and my
earlier prejudice against him melted away.

"I will keep you then, Jan Boom," I said, after thinking the matter out
for a few m