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She seems to have done the distance between the Mission Station and
Maraisfontein in wonderful time； as； for the matter of that； the roan
did too。 I have taken a fancy to her； after a gallop on her back
yesterday just to give her some exercise； and although I don't know that
she is quite up to my weight； I'll buy her。〃
〃The mare is not for sale； Heer Pereira；〃 I said； speaking for the first
time； 〃and I do not remember giving anyone leave to exercise her。〃
〃No； your father did； or was it that ugly little beast of a Hottentot？
I forget which。 As for her not being for salewhy； in this world
everything is for sale； at a price。 I'll give youlet me seeoh； what
does the money matter when one has plenty？ I'll give you a hundred
English pounds for that mare； and don't you think me a fool。 I tell you
I mean to get it back； and more； at the great races down in the south。
Now what do you say？〃
〃I say that the mare is not for sale； Heer Pereira。〃 Then a thought
struck me； or an inspiration； and； as has always been my fashion； I
acted on it at once。 〃But；〃 I added slowly； 〃if you like； when I am a
bit stronger I'll shoot you a match for her； you staking your hundred
pounds and I staking the mare。〃
Pereira burst out laughing。
〃Here； friends；〃 he called to some of the Boers who were strolling up to
the house for their morning coffee。 〃This little Englishman wants to
shoot a match with me； staking that fine mare of his against a hundred
pounds British； against me； Hernando Pereira； who have won every prize
at shooting that ever I entered for。 No； no； friend Allan； I am not a
thief； I will not rob you of your mare。〃
Now among those Boers chanced to be the celebrated Heer Pieter Retief； a
very fine man of high character； then in the prime of life； and of
Huguenot descent like Heer Marais。 He had been appointed by the
Government one of the frontier commandants； but owing to some quarrel
with the Lieutenant…Governor； Sir Andries Stockenstrom； had recently
resigned that office； and at this date was engaged in organizing the
trek from the Colony。 I now saw Retief for the first time； and ah！ then
little did I think how and where I should see him for the last。 But all
that is a matter of history； of which I shall have to tell later。
Now； while Pereira was mocking and bragging of his prowess； Pieter
Retief looked at me； and our eyes met。
〃Allemachte！〃 he exclaimed； 〃is that the young man who； with half a
dozen miserable Hottentots and slaves； held this stead for five hours
against all the Quabie tribe and kept them out？〃
Somebody said that it was； remarking that I had been about to shoot
Marie Marais and myself when help came。
〃Then； Heer Allan Quatermain；〃 said Retief； 〃give me your hand；〃 and he
took my poor wasted fingers in his big palm； adding； 〃Your father must
be proud of you to…day； as I should be if I had such a son。 God in
Heaven！ where will you stop if you can go so far while you are yet a
boy？ Friends； since I came here yesterday I have got the whole story for
myself from the Kaffirs and from this 'mooi meisje'〃 （pretty young
lady）； and he nodded towards Marie。 〃Also I have gone over the ground
and the house； and have seen where each man fellit is easy by the
blood marksmost of them shot by yonder Englishman； except one of the
last three； whom he killed with a spear。 Well； I tell you that never in
all my experience have I known a better arranged or a more finely
carried out defence against huge odds。 Perhaps the best part of it；
too； was the way in which this young lion acted on the information he
received and the splendid ride he made from the Mission Station。 Again
I say that his father should be proud of him。〃
〃Well； if it comes to that； I am； mynheer；〃 said my father； who just
then joined us after his morning walk； 〃although I beg you to say no
more lest the lad should grow vain。〃
〃Bah！〃 replied Retief； 〃fellows of his stamp are not vain； it is your
big talkers who are vain；〃 and he glanced out of the corner of his
shrewd eye at Pereira； 〃your turkey cocks with all their tails spread。
I think this little chap must be such another as that great sailor of
yourswhat do you call him； Nelson？who beat the French into frothed
eggs and died to live for ever。 He was small； too； they say； and weak
in the stomach。〃
I must confess I do not think that praise ever sounded sweeter in my
ears than did these words of the Commandant Retief； uttered as they were
just when I felt crushed to the dirt。 Moreover； as I saw by Marie's
and； I may add； by my father's face； there were other ears to which they
were not ungrateful。 The Boers also； brave and honest men enough；
evidently appreciated them； for they said：
〃Ja！ ja！ das ist recht〃 （That is right）。
Only Pereira turned his broad back and busied himself with relighting
his pipe； which had gone out。
Then Retief began again。
〃What is it you were calling us to listen to； Mynheer Pereira？ That
this Heer Allan Quatermain had offered to shoot you a match？ Well； why
not？ If he can hit Kaffirs running at him with spears； as he has done；
he may be able to hit other things also。 You say that you won't rob him
of his moneyno； it was his beautiful horsebecause you have taken so
many prizes shooting at targets。 But did _you_ ever hit a Kaffir
running at _you_ with an assegai； mynheer； you who live down there where
everything is safe？ If so； I never heard of it。〃
Pereira answered that he did not understand me to propose a shooting
match at Kaffirs charging with assegais； but at something elsehe knew
not what。
〃Quite so；〃 said Retief。 〃Well； Mynheer Allan； what is it that you do
propose？〃
〃That we should stand in the great kloof between the two _vleis_
yonderthe Heer Marais knows the placewhen the wild geese flight over
an hour before sunset； and that he who brings down six of them in the
fewest shots shall win the match。〃
〃If our guns are loaded with loopers that will not be difficult；〃 said
Pereira。
〃With loopers you would seldom kill a bird； mynheer；〃 I replied； 〃for
they come over from seventy to a hundred yards up。 No； I mean with
rifles。〃
〃Allemachte！〃 broke in a Boer； 〃you will want plenty of ammunition to
hit a goose at that height with a bullet。〃
〃That is my offer；〃 I said； 〃to which I add this； that when twenty shots
have been fired by each man； he who has killed the most birds wins； even
if he has not brought down the full six。 Does the Heer Pereira accept？
If so； I will venture to match myself against him； although he has won
so many prizes。〃
The Heer Pereira seemed extremely doubtful； so doubtful； indeed； that
the Boers began to laugh at him。 In the end he grew rather angry； and
said that he was willing to shoot me at bucks or swallows； or fireflies；
or anything else I liked。
〃Then let it be at geese；〃 I answered； 〃since it is likely to be
sometime before I am strong enough to ride after buck or other wild
things。〃'
So the terms of the match were formally written down by Marie； as my
father； although he took a keen sporting interest in the result； would
have nothing to do with what he called a 〃wager for money；〃 and； except
myself； there was no one else present with sufficient scholarship to pen
a long document。 Then we both signed them； Hernan Pereira not very
willingly； I thought； and if my recovery was sufficiently rapid； the
date was fixed for that day week。 In case of any disagreement； the Heer
Retief； who was staying at Maraisfontein； or in its neighbourhood； for a
while； was appointed referee and stakeholder。 It was also arranged that
neither of us should visit the appointed place； or shoot at the geese
before the match。 Still we were at liberty to practise as much as we
liked at anything else in the interval and to make use of any kind of
rifle that suited us best。
By the time that these arrangements were finished； feeling quite tired
with all the emotions of the morning； I was carried back to my room。
Here my midday meal； cooked by Marie； was brought to me。 As I finished
eating it； for the fresh air had given me an appetite； my father came
in； accompanied by the Heer Marais； and began to talk to me。 Presently
the latter asked me kindly enough if I thought I should be sufficiently
strong to trek back to the station that afternoon in an ox…cart with
springs to it and lying at full length upon a hide…strung 〃cartel〃 or
mattress。
I answered； 〃Certainly；〃 as I should have done had I been at the point
of death； for I saw that he wished to be rid of me。
〃The fact is； Allan；〃 he said awkwardly； 〃I am not inhospitable as you
may think； especially towards one to whom I owe so much。 But you and my
nephew； Hernan； do not seem to get on very well together； and； as you
may guess； having just been almost beggared； I desire no unpleasantness
with the o