, serene, quiet, secure.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE DEW.

Aida looked none the worse for her adventures as she came forth into the
clear freshness of the morning. The lethargic effect of the drug seemed
to have left her entirely, and she was quite her old self, bright,
sunny, fascinating as ever. But scarcely had we begun to talk than we
saw three persons approaching on horseback.

"They haven't lost much time coming for you," I said, as I made out the
rest of the family. "And I wanted you all to myself a little longer."

"You mustn't say that, dear," she answered, with a return pressure from
the hand I was holding. "They are perhaps just a little bit fond of me
too."

"Hallo, Glanton," sung out the Major, breathless with excitement, as he
rode up. "What the dickens is this cock and bull yarn your fellow has
been spinning us. I can't make head or tail of it and I didn't stop to
try. Anyhow, there's my little girl again all safe and sound. She is
safe and sound? Eh?"

"Absolutely, father," answered Aida, for herself. And then there was a
good deal of bugging and kissing all round, and some crying; by the way,
it seems that the women, dear creatures, can't be brought to consider
any ceremony complete unless they turn on the hose; for they turn it on
when they're happy, just as readily as when they're not. For instance--
there we were, all jolly together again--what the deuce was there to cry
about? Yet cry they did.

I had breakfast set out in the open on the shady side of the store, with
the broad view of the Zulu country lying beneath in the distance, and
they declared it reminded them of that memorable time when the _contre
temps_ as to Tyingoza's head-ring had befallen. And then when Aida had
given her adventures once more in detail, through sheer reaction we were
all intensely happy after the dreadful suspense and gloom of the last
three days. At length it was I who proposed we should make a move down,
for it would be as well to be on hand when the others returned with the
police and the prisoners.

"By Jove, Glanton, but you were right when you advised me to have
nothing to do with that rascally witch doctor," said the Major, as we
rode along. "One consolation. I suppose he's bound to be hung. Eh?"

"That depends on how we work the case," I said. "And it'll take a great
deal of working."

Hardly had we returned than the others arrived, bringing the three
prisoner