the significant drawing of the hand across
the speaker's throat by which the injunction was emphasised. The latter
I judged it advisable to obey--for the present at any rate.

In this way we kept on through the night; it seemed to me for hours. I
could make out the loom of the heights against the star-gemmed sky, and
noticed that it narrowed considerably as though we were threading a long
defile. More than once I stumbled, and not having the use of my hands
to save myself, fell flat on my face, to the brutal amusement of the
ruffians in whose power I was. I deemed it inadvisable to look about me
too much, but could make out quite a dozen forms in front of me, and
that there were plenty behind, I gathered from the hum of muffled
voices. Indeed, another sense than that of sight went to confirm any
conjecture as to their numbers, for the sweet night air was constantly
poisoned by a reek of rancid grease and musky, foetid humanity. But of
the three horses I could now see no sign.

At last a brief halt was made, evidently at some known water-hole or
spring, for soon one of them emerged from the bush bearing a great
calabash, and the sound of the splashing liquid as it was poured into
bowls was as very music to my ears. The long, rough, forced march; the
dash and excitement which had preceded it, had done their work. I was
simply parched with thirst, and said so.

Thereupon the English-speaking Kafir came towards me with a smaller
bowl. He put it to my lips, but before I could reach it the brute
withdrew it again and dashed the contents into my face.

"That all the water you get," he laughed.

It was too much. Even the fear of immediate vengeance counted for
nothing at that moment. My arms were secured but my legs were not.
Throwing myself backward as I sat I let out with these in such wise as
to plant both feet, with the force of a battering ram, right in the pit
of the stomach of my jeering tormentor as he bent over me laughing. He
rebounded like an indiarubber ball, rolled half a dozen yards, and lay
writhing and groaning and gasping--while I, of course, made up my mind
to instant death.

But to my surprise the other Kafirs seemed to think it the best joke in
the world, for they burst out laughing immoderately, mocking and
chaffing their damaged comrade, imitating him even, as he twisted and
groaned in his agony. I remembered the saying that a crowd that laughs
is not dangerous, and to that extent felt r