I replied shortly that I could, for Saduko's tone irritated me. Of
course, the truth was that he felt aggrieved at being sent off to bed
like a little boy while his foster-father, the old dwarf, made
confidences to me. One of Saduko's faults was that he had always a very
good opinion of himself. Also he was by nature terribly jealous, even
in little things, as the readers of his history, if any, will learn.

We trudged on for several hours in silence, broken at length by my
companion.

"Do you still mean to go on a shooting expedition with Umbezi, Inkoosi?"
he asked, "or are you afraid?"

"Of what should I be afraid?" I answered tartly.

"Of the buffalo with the split horn, of which Zikali told you. What
else?"

Now, I fear I used strong language about the buffalo with the split
horn, a beast in which I declared I had no belief whatsoever, either
with or without its accessories of dried river-beds and water-holes.

"If all this old woman's talk has made _you_ afraid, however," I added,
"you can stop at the kraal with Mameena."

"Why should the talk make me afraid, Macumazahn? Zikali did not say
that this evil spirit of a buffalo would hurt _me_. If I fear, it is
for you, seeing that if you are hurt you may not be able to go with me
to look for Bangu's cattle."