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clear of the bush and reeds that grew down to the water； fearing lest
the Zulus should follow and take me back to Dingaan to explain my rather
imprudent message。 Seeing no signs of them； I halted； a desolate
creature in a desolate country which I did not know； wondering what I
should do and whither I should ride。 Then it was that there happened
one of the strangest experiences of all my adventurous life。
As I sat dejectedly upon my horse； which was also dejected； amidst some
tumbled rocks that at a distant period in the world's history had formed
the bank of the great river； I heard a voice which seemed familiar to me
say：
〃Baas； is that _you_； baas？〃
I looked round and could see no one； so； thinking that I had been
deceived by my imagination； I held my peace。
〃Baas；〃 said the voice again； 〃are you dead or are you alive？ Because；
if you are dead； I don't want to have anything to do with spooks until I
am obliged。〃
Now I answered； 〃Who is it that speaks； and whence？〃 though； really； as
I could see no one； I thought that I must be demented。
The next moment my horse snorted and shied violently； and no wonder； for
out of a great ant…bear hole not five paces away appeared a yellow face
crowned with black wool； in which was set a broken feather。 I looked at
the face and the face looked at me。
〃Hans；〃 I said； 〃is it you？ I thought that _you_ were killed with the
others。〃
〃And I thought that _you_ were killed with the others； baas。 Are you
sure that you are alive？〃
〃What are you doing there； you old fool？〃 I asked。
〃Hiding from the Zulus； baas。 I heard them on the other bank； and then
saw a man on a horse crossing the river； and went to ground like a
jackal。 I have had enough of Zulus。〃
〃Come out；〃 I said； 〃and tell me your story。〃
He emerged； a thin and bedraggled creature； with nothing left on him but
the upper part of a pair of old trousers； but still Hans； undoubtedly
Hans。 He ran to me； and seizing my foot； kissed it again and again；
weeping tears of joy and stuttering：
〃Oh； baas； to think that I should find you who were dead； alive； and
find myself alive； too。 Oh！ baas； never again will I doubt about the
Big Man in the sky of whom your reverend father is so fond。 For after I
had tried all our own spirits； and even those of my ancestors； and met
with nothing but trouble； I said the prayer that the reverend taught us；
asking for my daily bread because I am so very hungry。 Then I looked
out of the hole and there you were。 Have you anything to eat about you；
baas？〃
As it chanced； in my saddle…bags I had some biltong that I had saved
against emergencies。 I gave it to him； and he devoured it as a famished
hyena might do； tearing off the tough meat in lumps and bolting them
whole。 When it was all gone he licked his fingers and his lips and
stood still staring at me。
〃Tell me your story；〃 I repeated。
〃Baas； I went to fetch the horses with the others； and ours had strayed。
I got up a tree to look for them。 Then I heard a noise； and saw that
the Zulus were killing the Boers； so knowing that presently they would
kill us； too； I stopped in that tree； hiding myself as well as I could
in a stork's nest。 Well； they came and assegaied all the other Totties；
and stood under my tree cleaning their spears and getting their breath；
for one of my brothers had given them a good run。 But they never saw
me； although I was nearly sick from fear on the top of them。 Indeed； I
was sick； but into the nest。
〃Well； I sat in that nest all day； though the sun cooked me like beef on
a stick； and when night came I got down and ran； for I knew it was no
good to stop to look for you； and 'every man for himself when a black
devil is behind you；' as your reverend father says。 All night I ran；
and in the morning hid up in a hole。 Then when night came again I went
on running。 Oh！ they nearly caught me once or twice； but never quite；
for I know how to hide； and I kept where men do not go。 Only I was
hungry； hungry； yes； I lived on snails and worms； and grass like an ox；
till my middle ached。 Still； at last I got across the river and near to
the camp。
〃Then just before the day broke and I was saying； 'Now； Hans； although
your heart is sad； your stomach will rejoice and sing；' what did I see
but those Zulu devils； thousands of them； rush down on the camp and kill
all the poor Boers。 Men and women and the little children； they killed
them by the hundred； till at last other Boers came and drove them away；
although they took all the cattle with them。 Well； as I was sure that
they would come back； I did not stop there。 I ran down to the side of
the river； and have been crawling about in the reeds for days； living on
the eggs of water…birds and a few small fish that I caught in the pools；
till this morning； when I heard the Zulus again and slipped up here into
this hole。 Then you came and stood over the hole； and for a long while
I thought you were a ghost。
〃But now we are together once more and all is right； just as what your
reverend father always said it would be with those who go to church on
Sunday； like me when there was nothing else to do。〃 And again he fell
to kissing my foot。
〃Hans；〃 I said； 〃you saw the camp。 Was the Missie Marie there？〃
〃Baas； how can I tell； who never went into it？ But the wagon she slept
in was not there； no； nor that of the Vrouw Prinsloo or of the Heer
Meyer。〃
〃Thank God！〃 I gasped； then added： 〃Where were you trying to get to；
Hans； when you ran away from the camp？〃
〃Baas； I thought perhaps that the Missie and the Prinsloos and the
Meyers had gone to that fine farm which you pegged out； and that I would
go and see if they were there。 Because if so； I was sure that they
would be glad to know that you were really dead； and give me some food
in payment for my news。 But I was afraid to walk across the open veld
for fear lest the Zulus should see me and kill me。 Therefore I came
round through the thick bush along the river； where one can only travel
slowly； especially if hollow；〃 and he patted his wasted stomach。
〃But； Hans；〃 I asked； 〃are we near my farm where I set the men to build
the houses on the hill above the river？〃
〃Of course； baas。 Has your brain gone soft that you cannot find your
way about the veld？ Four； or at most five； hours on horseback； riding
slow； and you are there。〃
〃Come on； Hans；〃 I said； 〃and be quick； for I think that the Zulus are
not far behind。〃
So we started； Hans hanging to my stirrup and guiding me； for I knew
well enough that although he had never travelled this road； his instinct
for locality would not betray a coloured man； who can find his way
across the pathless veld as surely as a buck or a bird of the air。
On we went over the rolling plain； and as we travelled I told him my
story； briefly enough； for my mind was too torn with fears to allow me
to talk much。 He； too； told me more of his escape and adventures。 Now
I understood what was that news which had so excited Kambula and his
soldiers。 It was evident that the Zulu impis had destroyed a great
number of the Boers whom they found unprepared for attack； and then had
been driven off by reinforcements that arrived from other camps。
That was why I had been kept prisoner for all those days。 Dingaan
feared lest I should reach Natal in time to warn his victims！
CHAPTER XX
THE COURT…MARTIAL
One hour； two hours； three hours； and then suddenly from the top of a
rise the sight of the beautiful Mooi River winding through the plain
like a vast snake of silver； and there； in a loop of it； the
flat…crested koppie on which I had hoped to make my home。 Had
hoped！why should I not still hope？ For aught I knew everything might
yet be well。 Marie might have escaped the slaughter as I had done； and
if so； after all our troubles perchance many years of life and happiness
awaited us。 Only it seemed too good to be true。
I flogged my horse； but the poor beast was tired out and could only
break into short canters； that soon lapsed to a walk again。 But whether
it cantered or whether it walked； its hoofs seemed to beat out the
words〃Too good to be true！〃 Sometimes they beat them fast； and
sometimes they beat them slow； but always their message seemed the same。
Hans； too； was outworn and weak from starvation。 Also he had a cut upon
his foot which hampered him so much that at last he said I had better go
on alone； he would follow more slowly。 Then I dismounted and set him on
the horse； walking by it myself。
Thus it came about that the gorgeous sunset was finished and the sky had
grown grey with night before we reached the foot of the koppie。 Yet the
last rays of the sinking orb had shown me something as they died。 There
on the slope of the hill stood some mud and watt