the majority."

"Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander.

"Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; but
occasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags more
than the rest."

"I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among our
hunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I may
be mistaken."

"I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "it
is the great fellow that they call Big Adam."

"You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated my
opinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above
those hills."

"When we stop, I will have some grease put to those waggon-wheels," said
Alexander.

"I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will.
I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this I
know, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty times
worse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxen
would not go on if they did not hear the music behind them."

"Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by-and-by be of service; when
we are travelling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be
able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels
to direct us how to follow."

"Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander.

"In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major,
"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it."

"Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if
the loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above the
hill. Shall we halt or go on?"

"Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the
waggons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects."

"Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far
as you can see?"

"Yes, I think so," replied the Major.

"I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor,
Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on so
fast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for
our breakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we
will unyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?"

"Ten to each waggon. The other sixteen are following with the sheer and
horses; they are as relays."

"Let us gallop on," said the Major.