precipice, and laid him upon the mule.

"Which way now?" gasped Zinti, for being strong he had borne the weight.

"To the waggon if they have not yet stolen it," said Sihamba, and
thither they went.

When they were near she crept forward, searching for Swart Piet and his
gang, but there were no signs of them, only she saw the driver and his
companion nodding by the fire. She walked up to them.

"Do you then sleep, servants of Kenzie," she said, "while the Swallow is
borne away to the Hawk's Nest and the husband of Swallow, your master,
is cast by Bull-Head back into the sea whence he came?"

Now the men woke up and knew her. "Look, it is Sihamba," stammered
one of them to the other, for he was frightened. "What evil thing has
happened, Lady Sihamba?"

"I have told you, but your ears are shut. Come then and see with your
eyes," and she led them to where Ralph lay in his blood, the water yet
dripping from his hair and clothes.

"Alas! he is dead," they groaned and wrung their hands.

"He is not dead, he will live; for while you slept I found him," she
answered. "Swift now, bring me the waggon box that is full of clothes,
and the blankets off the cartel."

They obeyed her, and very quickly and gently--for of all doctors Sihamba
was the best--with their help she drew off his wet garments, and, having
dried him and dressed his wounds with strips of linen, she put a flannel
shirt upon him and wrapped him in blankets. Then she poured brandy into
his mouth, but, although the spirit brought a little colour into his
pale face, it did not awaken him, for his swoon was deep.

"Lay him on the cartel in the waggon," she said, and, lifting him,
they placed him upon the rimpi bed. Then she ordered them to inspan
the waggon, and this was done quickly, for the oxen lay tied to the
trek-tow. When all was ready she spoke to the two men, telling them what
had happened so far as she knew it, and adding these words:

"Trek back to the stead as swiftly as you may, one of you sitting in the
waggon to watch the Baas Kenzie and to comfort him should he wake out of
his swoon. Say to the father and mother of Swallow that I have taken the
horses to follow Swart Piet and to rescue her by cunning if so I can,
for as will be plain to them, this is a business that must not wait;
also that I have taken with me Zinti, since he alone knows the path to
Bull-Head's secret hiding-place in the mountains. Of that road Zinti
will tell you all he can