back of the wagon, Dyke
stood at early dawn ready to start.

The oxen were yoked and hitched on to the dissel-boom and trek tow,
breakfast was over, and all was ready, with Jack flourishing his great
long whip of hippopotamus hide, eager to start.

Just then the hospitable old German signed to the Kaffir to come
alongside, and a chirrup brought up the dog as well.

"Now, mein vrient," said the old man, "you gan oondershtand goot
Englisch, if you gannot shpeak him zo vel ash me, zo you listen. I am a
creat magistrate, und know a lot. I am going to dalk to dot tog, und
you are to hear.--Now, my goot tog, you are better as effer you vas,
heh?"

Duke barked.

"Das ist goot. Now you are going to Kopfontein."

The dog barked loudly.

"Das ist good, too. Now I dell you dis: if Kaffir Jack--you know Kaffir
Jack--dot is him."

He clapped his hand on the black's shoulder, and the dog barked
excitedly.

"Yaas, you know him; und I dell you dot if he does not work, you are to
bide him."

The dog's hair rose up, and Jack made a movement to run, but the big fat
hand held him fast.

"Und then, mein goot tog, if you do dot, he vill be ferry pad, und
perhaps go mad. I mean, if you bide him, hey?"

The dog barked furiously, and Jack's blackish face turned of a horrible
dirty grey as he stood shivering, having pretty well understood every
word.

"Dot is right; und now Kaffir Jack will drive die oxen, und pe a goot
poy. Now you go. _Trek_!"

The Kaffir sprang away, whip in hand, the willing oxen began to pull,
and the wagon went off through the soft sand, Duke hurrying to his place
beneath, just in front of the water cask, while Dyke stood, rein in
hand, waiting to shake hands with his host, who laughed softly.

"I dalk all dot nonsense do vrighten him like a shild," he said. "He
vill pe a goot poy now till he begin to forget, und den you must
vrighten him doo. Now goot-pye, und der goot God bless you, mein sohn."

Dyke shook hands warmly with the friendly old man, sprang upon Breezy,
and soon overtook the wagon, which was going steadily along the faint
track.

He glanced back several times, seeing the old trader standing in front
of his house smoking his big pipe, but at last he was invisible, and the
boy set himself to achieve his long, slow, five or six days' journey,
hopeful, rested, and ready, feeling as if all was going to be right, and
more happy in his mind than he had been for days.

As he went on