riches seemed to share their
uneasiness. But there was no enemy in sight, and after a few minutes of
anxious hesitation, they recommenced browsing. A second twang was
succeeded by a second fall, and the boks again tossed their heads and
snuffed the air, prepared for immediate flight. They still lingered,
however, until the overthrow of a third of their number effectually
roused them. They bounded off at their utmost speed, but not before a
fourth shaft had laid one of the fugitives low. Then the lads, full of
astonishment and admiration, came racing up, and Omatoko, throwing off
his disguise, exclaimed exultingly--

"Two, three, four; Omatoko said `four.' White boy believe Omatoko now!"

"He has you there, Frank," said Nick, laughing; "but I must own I could
not have believed it possible, if I had not seen it."

"Live and learn," said Lavie. "I had seen it before, or I might have
been of your mind. Well, Omatoko, what now? We have stayed so long
that. We shan't be able to reach your village to-night, if we carry the
dog."

"Omatoko go alone. He bring men to-morrow; carry koodoo, dog and all."

"Very good," said the doctor, "and we'll camp here. That will suit us
all."

CHAPTER TEN.

A HOTTENTOT KRAAL--THE HOTTENTOT CHIEF--UMBOO'S MESSAGE--NEWS FROM CAPE
TOWN--THE HOTTENTOT PROGRAMME--LEARNED SPECULATIONS.

The sun had hardly risen on the following morning when the quarters
where they had bivouacked were surrounded by a bevy of dark skins, whose
curiosity to see the strangers was at least equal to that of the boys to
see them. The latter were bewildered by the multitude of small
copper-coloured men by whom they were environed, their thin faces, small
sunken eyes wide apart from one another, thick lips, and flat noses,
rendering them objects as hideous in European eyes as could well be
imagined. Their conversation too--for they talked rapidly and
incessantly among themselves--sounded the strangest Babel that ever was
poured into civilised ears. It resembled the continued chattering of
teeth, the tongue being continually struck against the jaws or palate;
and for a long time the lads almost believed that the men were simply
gibbering, like monkeys, at one another. Omatoko, however, who was
either a personage of real authority in his tribe, or felt himself
entitled to assume authority under the circumstances of the case, soon
convinced them that his countrymen understood the orders which he gave