, breathlessly, glancing quickly at
Mr. Hume's face, and back at the wall of rock.

"I should like Muata to be here. It is a good point."

"What, sir--what?"

"A woman's skirt on the dew, lad. See, a man would pass through
those two rocks there and leave no mark; but a woman, with the swing
of her skirt, wipes a spread of dew off on either side. You can see
the dark smudge in the glister of the dewdrops."

"I see," said Venning, starting forward towards two rocks with a
passage between.

"Steady, lad. Follow me."

He went forward to the rocks, which were almost under the right
wall, and inch by inch examined the stony ground.

"The direction should be there," he said, pointing ahead; "but
there's nothing but a dead wall."

They ranged up and down in a fruitless attempt to pick up the lost
spoor, and came back to the two rocks.

"Maybe she did not pass this way, sir."

"A sign is a sign, and a spoor a spoor. She passed between these
rocks this morning."

"Then she must have come down the wall;" and Venning, stepping
forward, placed his hand on the rock. He started back and stared up
at the rock. Then he touched it again, with a curious look in his
face, and next placed his ear against it. "Come here, sir."

Mr. Home went forward, and, placing his hand on the rock, felt it
vibrating. Then he placed his ear to the rock.

"What do you hear?" asked Venning.

"A noise like the roar of the sea."

"Or the rush of a great body of water."

"Seek ye the honey-bee, O Spider."

They whipped round at the mocking voice, and saw the Inkosikase
standing a few feet off, having come upon them with great quietness.

"Where is the young chief?" asked Mr. Hume at once.

"Be not afraid, great one. He sits over the 'familiar' of his
father, learning wisdom and strong medicine. And is your medicine at
fault, great one, that you should set snares in the path for a
woman, as boys do for the coneys?"

She laughed, and the great one caught hold of his beard, as he eyed
her, wondering whether the time had come to make her speak.

"Is it honey ye seek, O Spider, young chief who watches always?"

"It is honey, mother." Venning tapped the rock. "Ye may hear the
bees humming within. We would enter the hive."

She laughed again. "Ohe! ye are too wise for me, ye two. If I did
not show you the way, I see ye would find it."

She stepped past them, walked a few paces, then, with one hand
upreaching to a knob of rock, and a nak