"It's a lucky thing for you our fellows didn't catch you," said Peter.
"Our captain's a regular little martinet. He'd shoot you as soon as look
at you, if he saw you fooling round with a wounded nigger. It's lucky you
kept out of his way."

"The young ravens have meat given to them," said the stranger, lifting
himself up; "and the lions go down to the streams to drink."

"Ah--yes--" said Peter; "but that's because we can't help it!"

They were silent again for a little while. Then Peter, seeing that the
stranger showed no inclination to speak, said, "Did you hear of the spree
they had up Bulawayo way, hanging those three niggers for spies? I wasn't
there myself, but a fellow who was told me they made the niggers jump down
from the tree and hang themselves; one fellow wouldn't bally jump, till
they gave him a charge of buckshot in the back: and then he caught hold of
a branch with his hands and they had to shoot 'em loose. He didn't like
hanging. I don't know if it's true, of course; I wasn't there myself, but
a fellow who was told me. Another fellow who was at Bulawayo, but who
wasn't there when they were hung, said they fired at them just after they
jumped, to kill 'em. I--"

"I was there," said the stranger.

"Oh, you were?" said Peter. "I saw a photograph of the niggers hanging,
and our fellows standing round smoking; but I didn't see you in it. I
suppose you'd just gone away?"

"I was beside the men when they were hung," said the stranger.