d seen it in my heart.

I stepped forward and looked round. My eye caught something; it was the
faint grey light of the dawn glinted on the cattle's horns. As I looked,
one of them snorted, rose and shook the dew from his hide. He seemed big
as an elephant in the mist and twilight.

Then I collected them all--there were seventeen--and drove them before
me down the narrow path back towards the kraal. Now the daylight came
quickly, and the sun had been up an hour when I reached the spot where
I must turn if I wished to hide the cattle in the secret place, as Noma
had bid me. But I would not do this. No, I would go on to the kraal
with them, and tell all men that Noma was a thief. Still, I sat down and
rested awhile, for I was tired. As I sat, I heard a noise, and looked
up. There, over the slope of the rise, came a crowd of men, and leading
them was Noma, and by his side the headman who owned the cattle. I rose
and stood still, wondering; but as I stood, they ran towards me shouting
and waving sticks and spears.

"There he is!" screamed Noma. "There he is!--the clever boy whom I have
brought up to bring shame on me. What did I tell you? Did I not tell you
that he was a thief? Yes--yes! I know your tricks, Mopo, my child! See!
he is stealing the cattle! He knew where they were all the time, and now
he is taking them away to hide them. They would be useful to buy a wife
with, would they not, my clever boy?" And he made a rush at me, with his
stick lifted, and after him came the headman, grunting with rage.

I understood now, my father. My heart went mad in me, everything began
to swim round, a red cloth seemed to lift itself up and down before my
eyes. I have always seen it thus when I was forced to fight. I screamed
out one word only, "Liar!" and ran to meet him. On came Noma. He struck
at me with his stick, but I caught the blow upon my little shield, and
hit back. Wow! I did hit! The skull of Noma met my kerrie, and down he
fell dead at my feet. I yelled again, and rushed on at the headman. He
threw an assegai, but it missed me, and next second I hit him too. He
got up his shield, but I knocked it down upon his head, and over he
rolled senseless. Whether he lived or died I do not know, my father; but
his head being of the thickest, I think it likely that he lived. Then,
while the people stood astonished, I turned and fled like the wind. They
turned too, and ran after me, throwing spears at me and trying to cut me
off.