little work to do, as, were I you, I should do also
for love of that white missie. But duty--pah! that is a fool-word, which
makes bones of a man before his time and leaves his girl to others."

"Of course, you do not understand, Hans, any more than you coloured
people understand what gratitude is. But what do you mean about this
trek of ours? Are you afraid?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "A little, perhaps, baas. At least, I should
be if I thought about the morrow, which I don't, since to-day is enough
for me, and thinking about what one can't know makes the head ache.
Dingaan is not a nice man, baas; we saw that, didn't we? He is a hunter
who knows how to set a trap. Also he has the Baas Pereira up there to
help him. So perhaps you might be more comfortable here kissing Missie
Marie. Why do you not say that you have hurt your leg and cannot run?
It would not be much trouble to walk about on a crutch for a day or two,
and when the commandant was well gone, your leg might heal and you could
throw the stick away."

"Get thee behind me, Satan," I muttered to myself, and was about to give
Hans a piece of my mind when I recollected that the poor fellow had his
own way of looking at things and could not be blamed. Also, as he said,
he loved me, and only suggested what he thought would tend to my joy and
safety. How could I suppose that he would be interested in the success
of a diplomatic mission to Dingaan, or think anything about it except
that it was a risky business? So I only said:

"Hans, if you are afraid, you had better stop behind. I can easily find
another after-rider."

"Is the baas angry with me that he should speak so?" asked the
Hottentot. "Have I not always been true to him; and if I should be
killed, what does it matter? Have I not said that I do not think about
to-morrow, and we must all go to sleep sometime? No; unless the baas
beats me back, I shall come with him. But, baas"--this in a wheedling
tone--"you might give me some brandy to drink your health in to-night.
It is very good to get drunk when one has to be sober, and perhaps dead,
for a long time afterwards. It would be nice to remember when one is a
spook, or an angel with white wings, such as the old baas, your father,
used to tell us about in school on the Sabbath."

At this point, finding Hans hopeless, I got up and walked away, leaving
him to finish our preparations.

That evening there was a prayer-meeting in the camp, for although no
p