Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-06-01


over a ledge with jar tina, wrsnehed
every bolt and wheel spoke. the heavy
wagon crashed down the banE only
10 come To dead stop at the bottom.
imbsiiei in sand up TO the a1ies.
The span were knoited in "a tangled
mob OF clashing horns and twisted
yoke reins. snufiing and paving up the
sand with impatient hoofs: instinct
told them that wafer was lhere-bug
!, Was far. far below, for the rains had
failen many months back.
'Verdomte rooineeks." ragged the
angry Baas, beside himself. Twist
their tails; get that iron spike here.
Hendrik-that Will make the devils
move m
Hut IL was OF no use: the span only
became more hopelcssly entansied. In
vain Klaus dashed in among them,
sjambok in hand. kicking here and
.siashiRg there. while Hendrix and the
Nosrloper called upon The beasts by
name AM urged them forward. Ma
ter they knew was there. and water
THE whip Why don't you take III.
whip. you seh.imS! Where IL it.'
roar.d the infurIated Boer. rising and
slaEins about the wagon. m FT.'
A h. went forward he stumbled
over the baby and It's box. upS.tiIns
II and sending the child rolling across
the toor Of the wagon. where IL lay
in ball on heap OF skins. growing
with delight. People no seldom play
I'd games with II.
The boer thrus, the empty box back
against the side with his foot. ant
anatched up the bamboo whip handle.
Poss!ns IL carefully above bis head In
both hands. he cav. preliminary
noGr!sh. but the end was caught IN
sonicthins-thc brat again. curse IL.
u; opened wide eyes OF pleasure Mt
him. holding up Its d!mplcd lists.
so,nd ronni with the end OF the lash
With a savage oath he kicked l, of
the cad Of the wagon Into the midst OF
the struggling cattle and brought the
sr"a, whip down upon them with all
his force. Again and a.a.n i,pancoIlcd
and whikzcd down with crack like i
rifle shot. cutting into the stcsminE
fanks Of the plun.lns mob until they
beloved again. Scared and bleed
Ing. dcafened by the report Of the whip
and tn. hoarsc yclls OF the men. the
maddcncd beasts Strengthened out. and
with Klaus and The vocriopcr tn.gtnr
at the leaders heads. strained. pant
Ing Mp the further bank OF the drift.
Il was late tha; evening before
Klaus crawlCd stcaithiiy away from
the wagon. taking full beakcr o;
frcsh wafer from the pool. and his
suppci. the Baas was very angry with
him because the wagon had stuck In
the drif,-thoush how could he help II
II the oxen would not be r!ycn!-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 II.
Klaus walked for many hours. but
the girl did not come. OF course. hay-
Ing the baby to carry again would
make her take longer: for Baas Jakob
had told him how he had seen It roi!
on the wagon that morning trying to
reach big tortoise on the road and
crawl after II unhurt. and how he had
watched II there until Beta had pick
cd IL up when she came along. still.
she would catch them up next evening.
and he left the water bcakcr and the
food tied up In a piece OF a rag under
a heap of stones in the middle OF the
road. so that the aasvogels could not
get Mt them. and Beta might find
them there in the morning.
But Beta did not catch the wagon
up next evening, or the next. a.
- =
Four days afterward they had pass
ed the edge Of the desert and out
spanned among the shady tamarisks
and the willows by the banks OF the
Great river. .pIt0 Hr
Never mind, Klaus said Bans Piet
kindly. patting him on the shoulder:
hunger is bad death, but It is Gods
will Besides" he added, with smile.
there are yet many good girls in Ba-
sutoland But you will stay with Baas
Jalsob and me yet bit?"
Il stay with you--and Baas Jakob. I"
answered Klaus simply. He treats
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