Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-07-20

though they were not enough for her
and the child.
Klaus grasped the kerrie dangling
from his belt at the recollection Of
the cut across the mouth that the
drunken transport rider had given him
with his sjambok when he had asked
his permission. Besides, there was the
baby, and he could not have left both
of them behind, so far from the kraal
and her own people. But Baas Jakob
was hard man, and he did not under
stand such things.
Ever since they had left Burghers-
dorp-many weeks ago-she had
walked after them, the baby slung on
her back; and there were yet three
weeks more and the desert strip to
cross before they reached the Great
Belt and the river But the baby was
to ride in the wagon now with the
vrouw, and the girl would not be
so tired.
All! Baas Piet was good man-bet-
ter than Baas Jakob. He would help;
and later on he might even be rich
enough to buy few head of cattle
and some ponies and they would all
go back to the old place on the Krei,
and He started to his feet
as the pipe of a honeybird came faint:
ly out of the distance. Beta was
there at last.
The wagon was creaking along I'M
der the burning MONDAY sun; the OK
en- stumbled lazily with lolling ton
CUES; crawling at snail's pace without
fear of the flick of the lash, for every
one was asleep except the little voer-
loper trudging in front of the two
leaders, grooming an endless native
song to himself.
Suddenly there was a stir under the
tilt. The curtain was flung aside, and
Baas Piet stepped out on to the fore
part of the wagon, yawning sleepily.
Boy" he shouted, "onsaddle the
mare. I shall ride on to the water
hole beyond the drift. 1t cannot be
far off now"
Klaus appeared from underneath the
wagon, where his blanket was slung
hammock fashion in the day time.
"No, Baas Piet, the spruit should
not be more than one hours ride now,
and the hole is only two, three miles
further"
Presently he brought the mare
around from the back of the wagon.
where she had been tied up, frightened
the girths and rolled up the riem Of
the neck halter. Baas Piet swung
himself off the edge of the wagon into
the saddle.
"Tell the Baas when he wakes up"
he said; and with shake of the reins
cantered off through the dust.
1T cannot be far now" repeated
Klaus to himself, as he watched him
until he became invisible in the midst
of the vast brown expanse of sun
scorched hillside.
1t was now five days since they
had left the last vlei, and he had CIV
en- nearly all his share of the hot
muddy water that the vrouw served
out to the girl for the last few days,
but that was very, very little, and she
was sick, too.
The baby was certainly the most
contented of all, lying in an empty
sugar box under the shade of the tilt,
engaged in coiling the soft end of the
eighteen-foot lash round and round
it's chubby arms. 1t grew fatter and
merrier every day. The vrouw rather
liked it, black as it was, for she had
no children of her own. Q
All at once came a warning shout
from the voerloper They were right
on the edge of the drift, and the lead
ers began to pick their way slowly
down the steep bank over the loose
rocks and sand. Klaus was busy put
ting the heavy iron shoe drag under
one of the hind wheels, while Baas
Jakob, in bad temper at having his
sleep disturbed, sat upon the front of
the wagon, swearing at him and the
other boys for being lazy.
Now sliding sideways over a smooth.
shelving rock, now plunging down