"Why do you say that?" I asked sharply.

"Oh! Baas, I don't know, but you went to visit the Opener-of-Roads,
did you not, and he told you to go north and lent you a certain Great
Medicine, did he not?"

Here Hands proceeded to light his corncob pipe with an ash from the
fire, all the time keeping his beady eyes fixed upon that part of me
where he knew the talisman was hung.

"Quite true, Hans, but now I mean to show Zikali that I am not his
messenger, for south or north or east or west. So to-morrow morning we
cross the river and trek for Natal."

"Yes, Baas, but then why not cross it this evening? There is still
light."

"I have said that we will cross it to-morrow morning," I answered with
that firmness which I have read always indicates a man of character,
"and I do not change my word."

"No, Baas, but sometimes other things change besides words. Will the
Baas have that buck's leg for supper, or the stuff out of a tin with a
dint in it, which we bought at a store two years ago? The flies have got
at the buck's leg, but I cut out the bits with the maggots on it and ate
them myself."