ne?" groaned Mrs Scholtz; burying her face in her
hands.

Mrs Brook and the others--all shuddering--sought to soothe her, and in
a short time they regained sufficient composure to permit of their
returning to the victim, which they found lying dead upon the ground.

Having thus got over the terrible first step, the ladies hardened
themselves to the subsequent processes, and these they also found more
difficult than they had anticipated. The skinning of a sheep they did
not understand. Of the cutting up they were equally ignorant, and a
terrible mess they made of the poor carcass in their varied efforts. In
despair Mrs Brook suggested to Mrs Scholtz, who was now the chief and
acknowledged operator, that they had better cut it up without skinning,
and singe off the wool and skin together; but on attempting this Mrs
Scholtz found that she could not find the joints, and, being possessed
of no saw, could not cut the bones; whereupon Mrs Merton suggested that
she should cut out four slices from any part that would admit of being
penetrated by a knife, and leave the rest of the operation to be
performed by Dally on his return. This proposal was acted on. Four fat
slices were cut from the flanks and carried by Gertie to the kitchen,
where they were duly cooked, and afterwards eaten with more relish than
might have been expected, considering the preliminaries to the feast.

This was one of those difficulties that did not occur to them again. It
was a preventable difficulty, to be avoided in future by the exercise of
forethought; but there were difficulties and troubles in store against
which forethought was of little avail.

While they were yet in the enjoyment of the chops which had caused them
so much mental and physical pain, they were alarmed by a sudden cry from
Junkie. Looking round they saw that urchin on his knees holding on to
the side of his home-made crib, and gazing in blank amazement at the
hole in the wall which served for a window. And well might he gaze, for
he saw the painted face of a black savage looking in at that window!

On beholding him Mrs Merton uttered a scream and Mrs Brook an
exclamation. Mrs Scholtz and Gertie seemed bereft of power to move or
cry.

Perhaps the Kafir took this for the British mode of welcoming a
stranger. At all events, he left the window and entered by the door.
Being quite naked, with the exception of the partial covering afforded
by a leopard-skin robe, his appeara