nd trees. Listen
now for the plan, and be sure you understand it. When these people are
off-saddled and eating their food, you Kaffirs will fall on them--with
the spear and the kerry alone, mind--and they will come to their end."

"Does the master mean that we are to kill them?" asked the man
doubtfully.

"Yes," answered Swart Piet, with some hesitation. "I do not want to
kill them indeed, but I see no other way, except as regards the girl, of
course, who must be saved. These people are to be attacked and robbed
by Kaffirs, for it must never be known that I had a hand in it, and
you brutes of Kaffirs always kill. Therefore, they must die, alas!
especially the Englishman, though so far as I am concerned I should
be glad to spare the others if I could, but it cannot be done without
throwing suspicion upon me. As for the girl, if she is harmed the lives
of all of you pay for it. You will throw a kaross over her head, and
bring her to the place which I will tell you of to-morrow, where I shall
come upon you with some men and seem to rescue her. Do you understand,
and do you think the plan good?"

"I understand, and I think the plan good--for you--and yet, Baas, there
is one thing that I have not told you which may mar it."

"What is it?"

"This: When I was down there at the Heer Botmar's place, I saw the
witch-doctoress Sihamba, who has a hut upon the farm. I was some way
off, but I think that she recognised me, as she might well do seeing
that it was I who set the rope about her neck when you wished to hang
her. Now if she did know me all your plans may be in vain, for that
woman has the Sight and she will guess them. Even when the cord was
round her she laughed at me and told me that I should die soon, but
that she would live for years, and therefore I fear her more than anyone
living."

"She laughed at you, did she?" said Swart Piet; "well, I laugh at her,
for neither she nor anyone who breathes shall stand between me and this
girl, who has preferred the suit of another man to mine."

"Ah, master!" said the Kaffir, with admiration, "you are a great one,
for when a fruit pleases you, you do not wait for it to drop into your
lap, you pluck it."

"Yes," said Swart Piet, striking his breast with pride, "if I desire a
fruit I pluck it as my father did before me. But now go you and sleep,
for to-morrow you will need all your wit and strength."

When the herd Zinti had heard this talk he crept away, heading strai