journey to court a girl at a distant kraal. The slaves gave me meal
and some flesh with it, and I learned in talk with them that the Heer
Botmar, his vrouw, his daughter Suzanne and the young Englishman,
Heer Kenzie, all rode away yesterday to the christening party of the
first-born of the Heer Roozen, who lives about five hours on horseback
to the north yonder. I learned also that it is arranged for them to
leave the Heer Roozen to-morrow at dawn, and to travel homewards by
the Tiger's Nek, in which they will off-saddle about two hours before
mid-day, for I forgot to say that they have two servants with them to
see to their horses."

"That makes six in all," said Swart Piet, "of whom two are women,
whereas we are twenty. Yes, it is very good, nothing could be better,
for I know the off-saddling place by the stream in Tiger's Nek, and it
is a nice place for men to hide behind the rocks and trees. Listen
now for the plan, and be sure you understand it. When these people are
off-saddled and eating their food, you Kaffirs will fall on them--with
the spear and the kerry alone, mind--and they will come to their end."

"Does the master mean that we are to kill them?" asked the man
doubtfully.

"Yes," answered Swart Piet, with some hesitation. "I do not want to
kill them indeed, but I see no other way, except as regards the girl, of
course, who must be saved. These people are to be attacked and robbed
by Kaffirs, for it must never be known that I had a hand in it, and
you brutes of Kaffirs always kill. Therefore, they must die, alas!
especially the Englishman, though so far as I am concerned I should
be glad to spare the others if I could, but it cannot be done without
throwing suspicion upon me. As for the girl, if she is harmed the lives