"'What are you about, old fellow?' I said, for I am not accustomed to
that sort of thing, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

"'Oh, God bless you?' he moaned, 'God bless you! If only you knew what
I have gone through; and to think that you should have come to help
me, and at the risk of your own life! Well, you were always a true
friend--yes, yes, a true friend.'

"'Bosh,' I answered testily; 'I'm a trader, and I came after that
ivory,' and I pointed to the stockade of tusks. 'Did you ever hear of
an elephant-hunter who would not have risked his immortal soul for them,
and much more his carcase?'

"But he took no notice of my explanations, and went on God blessing me
as hard as ever, till at last I bethought me that a nip of brandy, of
which I had a flask full, might steady his nerves a bit. I gave it him,
and was not disappointed in the result, for he brisked up wonderfully.
Then I hunted about in Wambe's hut, and found a kaross to put over his
poor bruised shoulders, and he was quite a man again.

"'Now,' I said, 'why did the late lamented Wambe want to put you in that
trap?'

"'Because as soon as they heard that the fight was going against them,
and that Maiwa was charging at the head of Nala's impi, one of the women
told Wambe that she had seen me write something on some leaves and give
them to Maiwa before she went away to purify herself. Then of course
he guessed that I had to do with your seizing the koppie and holding it
while the impi rushed the place from the mountain, so he determined to