and although his own
particular master was a scoundrel, there were those of his household--
especially among the females--who had taught him something of Christian
pity. He could not leave the child to the tender mercies of wild
beasts. He did not dare to convey him back to the cottage of Kenneth
McTavish. What was he to do? Delay might be death! In these
circumstances he seized the horrified Junkie by the arm, swung him on
the pommel of his saddle, and galloped away up the kloof and over the
mountains into the deepest recesses of Kafirland.

When Mrs Scholtz awoke that morning, rubbed her eyes, looked up and
discovered that Junkie's crib was empty, she sprang from her bed,
perceived the open lattice, and gave vent to an awful scream. In
barbarous times and regions a shriek is never uttered in vain. The
McTavish household was instantly in the room, some of them in
deshabille--some armed--all alarmed.

"Oh my!--oh me!" cried Mrs Scholtz, leaping back into bed with
unfeminine haste, "he's gone!"

"Who's gone?" asked McTavish.

"Junkie!"

"What! where? when? how? why?" said Mrs McTavish, Jessie, and others.

Mrs Scholtz gasped and pointed to the lattice; at the same time she
grasped her garments as a broad hint to the men. They took it hastily.

"Come, boys, search about, and one of you saddle up. Go, call Groot
Willem," was the master's prompt order as he turned and left the room.

Six Hottentots, a Bushman, and a Bechuana boy obeyed, but those who
searched sought in vain. Yet not altogether in vain--they found
Junkie's "spoor," and traced it into the jungle. While two followed it,
the others returned and "saddled up" the horses. Groot Willem chanced
to be on a visit to the Highlanders at the time.

"What a pity," he said, coming out of his room and stretching himself
(it was quite an impressive sight to see such a giant stretch himself!)
"that the hunters are off. They might have helped us."

The giant spoke with good-humoured sarcasm, believing that the urchin
would assuredly be found somewhere about the premises, and he referred
to the departure of an exploring and hunting party under George Rennie,
which had left Glen Lynden the previous day for the interior.

But when Groot Willem with his companions had ridden a considerable way
up the kloof, and found Junkie's spoor mingling with that of baboons, he
became earnest. When he came to the gnarled tree and discovered that it
was joined by that