When they were near she crept forward, searching for Swart Piet and his
gang, but there were no signs of them, only she saw the driver and his
companion nodding by the fire. She walked up to them.

"Do you then sleep, servants of Kenzie," she said, "while the Swallow is
borne away to the Hawk's Nest and the husband of Swallow, your master,
is cast by Bull-Head back into the sea whence he came?"

Now the men woke up and knew her. "Look, it is Sihamba," stammered
one of them to the other, for he was frightened. "What evil thing has
happened, Lady Sihamba?"

"I have told you, but your ears are shut. Come then and see with your
eyes," and she led them to where Ralph lay in his blood, the water yet
dripping from his hair and clothes.

"Alas! he is dead," they groaned and wrung their hands.

"He is not dead, he will live; for while you slept I found him," she
answered. "Swift now, bring me the waggon box that is full of clothes,
and the blankets off the cartel."

They obeyed her, and very quickly and gently--for of all doctors Sihamba
was the best--with their help she drew off his wet garments, and, having
dried him and dressed his wounds with strips of linen, she put a flannel
shirt upon him and wrapped him in blankets. Then she poured brandy into
his mouth, but, although the spirit brought a little colour into his
pale face, it did not awaken him, for his swoon was deep.

"Lay him on the cartel in the waggon," she said, and, lifting him,