e they were, and how
one of them had fallen into a stream and lay there on its back drowned,
with its forefoot caught in a forked root. As my Ehlose told me so I
told the headman.

Now, the man was pleased, and said that if my sight was good, and he
found the cattle, the gifts should be taken from Noma and given to me;
and he asked the people who were sitting round, and there were many, if
this was not just. "Yes, yes," they said, it was just, and they would
see that it was done. But Noma sat still and looked at me evilly. He
knew that I had made a true divination, and he was very angry. It was a
big matter: the herd of cattle were many, and, if they were found where
I had said, then all men would think me the greater wizard. Now it was
late, and the moon had not yet risen, therefore the headman said that
he would sleep that night in our kraal, and at the first light would
go with me to the spot where I said the cattle were. After that he went
away.

I too went into my hut and lay down to sleep. Suddenly I awoke, feeling
a weight upon my breast. I tried to start up, but something cold pricked
my throat. I fell back again and looked. The door of the hut was open,
the moon lay low on the sky like a ball of fire far away. I could see
it through the door, and its light crept into the hut. It fell upon the
face of Noma the witch-doctor. He was seated across me, glaring at me
with his one eye, and in his hand was a knife. It was that which I had
felt prick my throat.

"You whelp whom I have bred up to tear me!" he hissed into my ear, "you
dared to divine where I failed, did you? Very well, now I will show you
how I serve such puppies. First, I will pierce through the root of your
tongue, so that you cannot squeal, then I will cut you to pieces slowly,
bit by bit, and in the morning I will tell the people that the spirits
did it because you lied. Next, I will take off your arms and legs. Yes,
yes, I will make you like a stick! Then I will"--and he began driving in
the knife under my chin.

"Mercy, my uncle," I said, for I was frightened and the knife hurt.
"Have mercy, and I will do whatever you wish!"

"Will you do this?" he asked, still pricking me with the knife. "Will
you get up, go to find the dog's cattle and drive them to a certain
place, and hide them there?" And he named a secret valley that was known
to very few. "If you do that, I will spare you and give you three of
the cows. If you refuse or play my false, t