ce there was no one else who could be
trusted at all--a very battered and crestfallen Thomaso, by the way.
When he heard of it he was much relieved, since I think he feared lest
he also should be expected to take part in the hunt of the Amahagger
man-eaters. Also it may have occurred to him that in all probability
none of us would ever come back at all, in which case by a process of
natural devolution, he might find himself the owner of the business and
much valuable property. However, he swore by sundry saints--for Thomaso
was nominally a Catholic--that he would look after everything as though
it were his own, as no doubt he hoped it might become.

"Hearken, fat pig," said Umslopogaas, Hans obligingly translating so
that there might be no mistake, "if I come back, and come back I shall
who travel with the Great Medicine--and find even one of the cattle of
the white lord, Macumazahn, Watcher-by-Night, missing, or one article
stolen from his waggon, or the fields of your master not cultivated or
his goods wasted, I swear by the Axe that I will hew you into pieces
with the axe; yes, if to do it I have to hunt you from where the sun
rises to where it sets and down the length of the night between. Do
you understand, fat pig, deserter of women and children, who to save
yourself could run faster than a buck?"

Thomaso replied that he understood very clearly indeed, and that, Heaven
helping him, all should be kept safe and sound. Still, I was sure that
in his manly heart he was promising great gifts to the saints if they
would so arrange matters that Umslopogaas and his axe were never seen at
Strathmuir again, and reflecting that after all the Amahagger had their
uses. However, as I did not trust him in the least, much against their
will, I left my driver and _voorlooper_ to guard my belongings.

At last we did get off, pursued by the fervent blessings of Thomaso and
the prayers of the others that we would avenge their murdered relatives.
We were a curious and motley procession. First went Hans, because at
following a spoor he was, I believe, almost unequalled in Africa, and
with him, Umslopogaas, and three of his Zulus to guard against surprise.
These were followed by Captain Robertson, who seemed to prefer to walk
alone and whom I thought it best to leave undisturbed. Then I came
and after me straggled the Strathmuir boys with the pack animals, the
cavalcade being closed by the remaining Zulus under the command of
Goroko.