e stoep.

"Well, young buffalo hunter," said old Hesketh, "I shall be sorry to
lose you, and if ever you're round this way don't forget to look in and
help to liven an old man up. You're always welcome for as long as you
like to stay. But it's slow work for a young 'un, to be sure."

"That it isn't, Mr Hesketh," rejoined Dick, heartily, not a little
touched by the kindness and real warmth of his host's words. "I've had
a rattling good time here, and enjoyed it as well as I've ever enjoyed
anything"--with a meaning glance in the direction of Hazel, to which
she, however, utterly failed to respond. But perhaps she made up for it
in the frank warmth of her farewell.

"Do come and see us at our place, Mr Selmes, when you have done your
travels," she said. "My father will be delighted, I can answer for
that, though we can't give you quite such good sport as you've been
having here. Still, you will have a hearty welcome."

Dick mumbled something as he pressed the little hand, longer perhaps
than he need have done--and then he had a confused consciousness of
climbing to his seat, and in less than no time the homestead at
Haakdoornfontein was out of sight.

"Jolly old place," he said regretfully, as he looked back. "Tell you
what, Greenoak. I quite hate leaving it."

"I dare say," remarked Greenoak, drily. He was thinking at that moment
that his charge was becoming something of a burden. The said charge was
thinking of something else, and that "something" evidently something
all-engrossing--so much so, that for upwards of an hour he did not utter
a word--a very unusual thing indeed for Dick Selmes.

But he was young, and his spirits soon reasserted themselves. Bowling
along in the glorious air and sunshine, as each fresh stage passed took
them over--to him--new and varying scenes, his temporary gloom was soon
dispelled. Harley Greenoak, too, was the ideal kind and tactful
companion, and by the time they sighted the beautiful mountain range,
the forest-clad rampart beyond which lay Kafirland--Kafirland with its
delightful potentialities of stirring adventure--Dick had quite
recovered his old light-heartedness. Yet this was in a measure sobered,
tempered, by the recollections of one whom he had left behind him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, girlie," said old Hesketh to his niece, after the departure of
the guests. "We shall miss the young 'un--eh? You'll