The Holly chieftain., 1900-06-01


had left the last vlei. and he had CIV
On nearly all his share Of thu hot
muddy water that tho vrouw served
ont 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 d all. lying in an empty
sugar box under the shade Of the tilt,
engaged In eoiling the soft end OF the
eighteen-foot lash round and round
it, chubby arms. 1t grew fatter and
merrier every day. The srouw rather
liked 1t. black ~ II was. for she had
NO children OF her own.
All at once came warning shout
from the vosrlopsr. They were right
ON the edge Of the drift, and the lead
era 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 undar
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 smooth.
shelving rock, now plunging down
over ledge with jar that wrenched
every bolt and wheel spoke, the heavy
wagon crashed down the bank only
to come to dead stop at the bottom,
imbedded In sand up to the axles
The span were knotted In tangle4
mob of clashing horns and twisted
yoke reins. snufiing and paving up the
sand with impatient hoofs; inst.ne,
told them that water was there-but
1t was far. far below. for the rains has
fallen many months back.
| "Verdomte rooinecks!" ragged the
angry Baas, beside himself. Twist
their tails; get that iron spike here
Hendrik-that will make the devils
move"
But 1t was of no use; the span only
became more hopelessly entangled. In
vain Klaus dashed in among them,
s5ambok in hand, kicking here and
slashing there, while Hendrix and the
voerloper called upon the beasts by
name and urged them forward. Wa
ter they knew was there, and water
they would have.
The whip! Why don't you take the
whip. you scheims? Where is it?"
roared the infuriated Boer, rising and
glaring about the wagon.
As he went forward he stumbled
over the baby and It's box, upsetting
1t and sending the child rolling across
the floor of the wagon. where 1t lay
In ball on heap of skins, Growing
with delight. People SO seldom play
ed games with 1t.
The Boer thrust the empty box back
against the side with his foot and
snatched up the bamboo whip handle.
Poisins 1t carefully above his head in
both hands, he gave preliminary
flourish, but the end was caught In
something-the brat again, curse 1t!
1t opened wide eyes of pleasure at
him. holding up its dimpled wrists.
wound round with the end of the lash.
With a savage oath he kicked 1t on
the end of the wagon into the midst OF
the struggling cattle and brought the
great whip down upon theia with all
his force. Again and again It uncoiled
and whtzzed down with crack like a
rife shot. cutting into the steaming
tanks of the plunging mob until they
beloved again. Scared and bleed
ing, deafened by the report Of the whip
and the hoarse yells Of the men, the
maddened beasts Strengthened out, and
with Klaus and the voerloper tugging
at the leaders heads, strained, pant
ing up the further bank of the drift
1t was late that evening before
Klaus crawled stealthily away from
the wagon, taking full beaker OF
fresh water from the pool, and his
suppel; the Baas was very angry with
him because the wagon had stuck in
the drift--though how could he help it
II the oxen would not be driven ?-and
had forbidden him to leave the wagon
to see Beta. But no Baas could keep
him from doing that, no matter how
many hidings he got for It,
Klaus walked for many hours, but
the girl did not come. OF course, hav-
ing the baby to carry again would
make her take longer; for Baas Jakoh
had told him how he had seen 1t roll
on the wagon that morning trying to
reach big tortoise on the road and
crawl after 1t unhurt. and how he had
watched 1t there until Beta had pick
ed 1t up when she came along. Still,
she would catch them up next evening,
and he left the water beaker and the
food tied up in a piece of rag under
heap Of stones in the middle OF the
road, SO that the aasvogels could not
get at them, and Beta might find
them there In the morning.
Hut Rettq did mt IN tch thu MN uov,