"Who are you," he shouted, "you wretched little Englishman, who dare to
lecture me, Leblanc, the friend of the great Napoleon?"

Now I drew my pistol and walked up to the man.

"Be quiet, you drunken sot," I said, for I guessed that he had drunk
more of the brandy in the darkness. "If you are not quiet and do not
obey me, who am in command here, either I will blow your brains out, or
I will give you to these men," and I pointed to Hans and the Kaffirs,
who had gathered round him, muttering ominously. "Do you know what they
will do with you? They will throw you out of the house, and leave you to
settle your quarrel with Quabie alone."

Leblanc looked first at the pistol, and next at the faces of the
natives, and saw something in one or other of them, or in both, that
caused him to change his note.

"Pardon, monsieur," he said; "I was excited. I knew not what I said.
If you are young you are brave and clever, and I will obey you," and he
went to his station and began to re-load his gun. As he did so a great
shout of fury rose from the cattle kraal. The wounded herald had
reached the Quabies and was telling them of the treachery of the white
people.



CHAPTER III