this Woodpecker would be wise to fly north for a while in the company of
one who watches by night, lest harm should come to a bird that pecks at
the feet of the great and chatters of it in his nest.'"



Then Zikali waved his hand and I went, wondering into what plot I had
stumbled.



CHAPTER II

THE MESSENGERS

I did not rest as I should that night who somehow was never able to
sleep well in the neighbourhood of the Black Kloof. I suppose that
Zikali's constant talk about ghosts, with his hints and innuendoes
concerning those who were dead, always affected my nerves till, in a
subconscious way, I began to believe that such things existed and were
hanging about me. Many people are open to the power of suggestion, and I
am afraid that I am one of them.

However, the sun which has such strength to kill noxious things, puts an
end to ghosts more quickly even than it does to other evil vapours and
emanations, and when I woke up to find it shining brilliantly in a pure
heaven, I laughed with much heartiness over the whole affair.

Going to the spring near which we were outspanned, I took off my
shirt to have a good wash, still chuckling at the memory of all the