and on, fresh, light-hearted, and bright, every place made
familiar by halts as he came, wore a very different aspect, and there
were times when he smiled at some of the petty vexations, though others
were serious enough. For instance, by this water, where he had had so
much difficulty in getting wood, for the day's journey had been very
long, and it was growing dark when he halted, and a distant roar told of
the possibility of a visit from lions, and perhaps the loss of one of
the bullocks. But now all was smooth and pleasant, the evening was
glorious, the oxen not too weary, and Jack soon collected enough wood
for cooking and keeping up a roaring blaze.

The next day, too, was hot and pleasant. Several guinea-fowl fell to
Dyke's gun, and he shot a dangerous viper which raised its head
sluggishly from the sandy track, threatening, with gleaming eyes and
vibrating tongue, the barking dog, which kept cautiously beyond striking
distance. There were lions heard in the night, making the cattle
uneasy, but they were not molested.

It was wonderful as a contrast that journey back, and Dyke often asked
himself, as he cantered about, sometimes to the side, sometimes letting
the wagon go for some distance forward, whether he had not been of poor
heart, and had made too much fuss over his troubles; but second thoughts
convinced him that he had had a terrible task, and he almost wondered
that he had been able to reach Morgenstern's at all.

Jack was the very perfection of a Kaffir servant now, driving
splendidly, and taking the greatest care as to the pasturing and
watering of the cattle; his young master never having to find fault with
a single thing.

But there was the reason plainly enough; and Dyke smiled to himself as
he thought of how easily the black had been impressed by the big old
German, though he felt that Jack's guilty conscience had something to do
with it.

Oddly enough, the dog's behaviour during the return journey helped to
keep Jack in order. For Duke, though his hurts were mending fast, was
still very weak. He was ready to bark and make plenty of fuss over his
master, but he did not evince the slightest desire to trot after him
when he rode away from the wagon. Duke seemed to know his own powers,
and went back directly to his place between the two hind wheels of the
wagon. There he stayed, keeping step pretty well with the bullocks.
But at every halt, when Jack proceeded to gather wood, drive the o