for leave to
come out here. Of these I believe 4000 have been selected, and
twenty-three vessels chartered to convey them out. This is all I could
learn before I left England, but I suppose we shall have more light on
the subject ere many months have gone by."

"A good plan," said the Dutchman, with a grim smile, "but I pity the
emigrants!"

As Considine's head drooped at this point, and his eyes winked with that
owlish look which indicates the approach of irresistible sleep, Hans
Marais rose, and, spreading a large kaross or blanket of leopard skin on
the ground, invited his companion to lie down thereon. The youth
willingly complied, stretched himself beside the Dutchman, and almost
instantly fell sound asleep. Hans spread a lighter covering over
himself and his comrade, and, with his head on his saddle, lay for a
long time gazing tranquilly at the stars, which shone with an intensity
of lustre peculiar to that region of the southern hemisphere, while the
yelling cries of jackals and the funereal moaning of spotted hyenas,
with an occasional distant roar from the king of beasts, formed an
appropriate lullaby.

CHAPTER TWO.

INTRODUCES A CAPE DUTCHMAN AND HIS FAMILY, AND SHOWS THE UNCERTAINTY OF
HUMAN PLANS.

The break of day found Charlie Considine and Hans Marais galloping
lightly over the karroo towards a range of mountains which, on the
previous evening, had appeared like a faint line of blue on the horizon.

The sun was just rising in a blaze of splendour, giving promise of an
oppressive day, when the horsemen topped a ridge beyond which lay the
primitive buildings of a frontier farm.

Considine uttered an exclamation of surprise, and looked inquiringly at
his companion.

"My father's farm," said Hans, drawing rein and advancing at a
foot-pace.

"A lovely spot," returned his companion, "but I cannot say much for the
buildings."

"They are well suited to their purpose nevertheless," said Hans;
"besides, would it be wise to build fine houses for Kafirs to burn?"

"Is being burnt by Kafirs the necessary end of all frontier farms?"
asked Considine, with a smile.

"Not the necessary, but the probable end. Many a one has been burnt in
times gone by, and many a one will be burnt again, if the Government and
people in England do not recognise and admit the two great facts, that
the interest as well as the main desire of the frontier settler is
_peace_, while the chief delight as well as business