The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-09-04
over a ledge with a far that wrenched

over a cage WIN q jar tnat Wrencned
every bolt and wheel spoke, the heavy
wagon crashed down the bank only
to come to a dead stop at the bottom,
imbejded in sand up to the aXles.
The span were knotted in a tangled
mob of clashing horns and twisted
yoke reins, snuffing and paving up the
sand with impatient hoofs; instinct
told them that water was there-but
it was far, far below, for the rains had
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 it was of no use; the span only
became more hopelessly entangled. In
vain Klaus dashed in among them,
sJambok 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 Infatuated 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 it lay
in a ball on a heap of skins, growing
with Iali0ht DoDrIo CO. .oll~-. ,>1,,
ed games with it.
The Boer thrust the empty box back
against the side with his foot. and
snatched up the bamboo whip handle.
Polsing it carefully above his head in
ooth hands, he gave a preliminary
flourish, but the end was caught in
something-the brat again, curse it!
1t opened wide eyes of pleasure at
holding up it's dimpled wrists,
wound round with the end of the lash.
With a savage oath he kicked it off
the end of the wagon into the midst of
the struggling cattle and brought the
great whip down upon them with all
MS force. Again and again it uncoiled
WINGED down with a crack like a
rifle shot, cutting into the steaming
OF the plunging mob until they
beloved again. Scared and bleed
ing, deafened by the report Of the whip
ana the hoarse yells OF the men, the
beasts Strengthened out, and
with Klaus and the voerloper Juggling |
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
he wagon, taking a full beaker of
resi- water from the pool, and his
'uppel; the Baas was very angry with
aim because the wagon had stuck in
he drift-thoush how could he HELM it
+ the oxen would not be driven?-and
had forbidden him to leave the wagon
o see Beta But no Baas could keep
lim from doing that, no matter how
hidings he got for it.
Klaus walked for many hours, but
he girl did not come. OF course, hav-
ng the baby to carry again would
make her take longer; for Baas Jakob
had told him how he had seen it roll
""ooh sho hio AlNS Trying 10
each a big tortoise on the road and
after 1t unhurt, and how he had
it there until Beta had pick
ID 1t up when she came along. Still,
he would catch them up next evening.
nd he left the water beaker and the
God tied up in a piece of a rag under
heap of stones in the middle of the
Dad, so that the a%asvogels could not
'et at them, and Beta might find
hem there in the morning.
But Beta did not catch the e
lp next evening, or the next.
Four days afterward they had pass
"a the edge Of the desert and out
panned among the shady tamarisks
md the willows by the banks Of the
treat river.
Never mind, Klaus" said Baas Piet
indy, p~atting him on the shoulder:
hunger is a bad death, but it is Gods
viii. Besides" he added, with a smile.
there are yet many good girls in b.
utoland. But you will stay with Baas
akob and me yet a bit?"
Il stay with you-and Baas Jakob,"
answered Klaus simply. HE treats
ne as we'll as any other Baas."