"What did the Captain do?"

"Oh, as soon as Halket turned away he started swearing, but he got the tail
of one oath hooked on to the head of another. It was nearly as good as
Halket himself. And when he'd finished and got sane a bit, he said Halket
was to walk up and down there all day and keep watch on the nigger. And he
gave orders that if the big troop didn't come up tonight, that he was to be
potted first thing in the morning, and that Halket was to shoot him."

The Englishman started: "What did Halket say?"

"Nothing. He's been walking there with his gun all day."

The Englishman watched with his clear eyes the spot where Halket's head
appeared and disappeared.

"Is the nigger hanging there now?"

"Yes. The Captain said no one was to go near him, or give him anything to
eat or drink all day: but--" The Colonial glanced round where the trooper
lay under the bushes; and then lowering his voice added, "This morning, a
couple of hours ago, Halket sent the Captain's coloured boy to ask me for a
drink of water. I thought it was for Halket himself, and the poor devil
must be hot walking there in the sun, so I sent him the water out of my
canvas bag. I went along afterwards to see what had become of my mug; the
boy had gone, and there, straight in front of the Captain's tent, before
the very door, was Halket letting that bloody nigger drink out of my mug.
The riem was so tight round his neck he couldn't drink but slowly, and
there was Halket holding it up to him! If the Captain had looked out!
W-h-e-w! I wouldn't have been Halket!"