wn off my
balance. Somehow it never occurred to me to doubt the truth of Jan
Boom's statement.

"Where is this place?" I asked.

"That you will learn to-morrow night, _Nkose_, for I myself will take
you there--if you are cautious. If not--!"

"Look here, Jan Boom. You want to earn the cattle which I shall give as
a reward?"

"Cattle are always good to have, _Nkose_!"

"Well what other motive have you in helping me in this matter? You have
not been very long with me, and I cannot recall any special reason why
you should serve me outside of ordinary things."

"Be not too curious, _Nkose_!" he answered, with a slight smile. "But,
whether you fail or succeed to-morrow night, my life will be sought, for
it will be known how you came there."

"Have no fear as to that, Jan Boom, for I will supply you with the means
of defending your life six times over--and you, too, come of a warrior
race."

"That is so, _Nkose_. I am of the Ama Gcaleka. Now talk we of our
plan. To-morrow you will return home, starting from here after the sun
is at its highest. Up to the time of starting you will help in the
search in whatever direction it is made. But if you show any sign or
give reason to suspect you know it is all being made in vain, it will
mean the failure of our plan, and then--"

"Not on my account shall it fail then," I said. "Tell me, Jan Boom. Is
Ukozi at the back of this?"

"His eyes and ears are everywhere," was the reply, accompanied by a
significant glance around. "When you ride homeward to-morrow, your
horse will be very lame."

"Very lame?" I echoed in astonishment.

"Very lame. You yourself will lame it. So shall Ukozi's eyes be
deceived. For a man who has just returned home does not ride forth
immediately on a horse that is very lame."

I saw his drift--and it was ingenious.

"You will give out that you are tired of a useless search, that you are
exhausted and intend to sleep for three days, and you will pretend to
have drunk too much of the strong waters. So shall Ukozi's eyes be
deceived."

"But Jan Boom, you and Tom are the only people on the place," I urged.

"U' Tom? _Hau_! Ukozi's eyes and ears are everywhere," was the
enigmatical answer.

"And if my horse is lame how shall I use him?"

"You would not use him in any case," was his answer. "The sound of a
horse's hoof travels far at night, that of a man's foot, not. We walk."

"Walk? Why then the place must be quite near