going to rain.

Hans became sarcastic. Sneaking up to me in his most aggravating way,
like a dog that means to steal something and cover up the theft with
simulated affection, he pointed out one by one all the disadvantages of
our present position. He indicated _per contra_, that if _his_ advice
had been followed, his conviction was that even if we had not found the
man-eaters and rescued the lady called Sad-Eyes, our state would have
been quite different. He was sure, he added, that the valley which he
had suggested we should follow, was one full of game, inasmuch as he had
seen their spoor at its entrance.

"Then why did you not say so?" I asked.

Hans sucked at his empty corn-cob pipe, which was his way of indicating
that he would like me to give him some tobacco, much as a dog groans
heavily under the table when he wants a bit to eat, and answered that it
was not for him to point out things to one who knew everything, like the
great Macumazahn, Watcher-by-Night, his honoured master. Still, the luck
did seem to have gone a bit wrong. The privations could have been put up
with (here he sucked very loudly at the empty pipe and looked at mine,
which was alight), everything could have been put up with, if only there
had been a chance of coming even with those men-eaters and rescuing the
Lady Sad-Eyes, whose face haunted his sleep. As it was, however, he
was convinced that by following the course I had mapped out we had lost
their spoor finally and that probably they were now three days' march
away in another direction. Still, the Baas had said that he had his
reasons, and that of course was enough for him, Hans, only if the Baas
would condescend to tell him, he would as a matter of curiosity like to
know what the reasons were.

At that moment I confess that, much as I was attached to him, I should
have liked to murder Hans, who, I felt, believing that he had me "on
toast," to use a vulgar phrase, was taking advantage of my position to
make a mock of me in his sly, Hottentot way.

I tried to continue to look grand, but felt that the attitude did
not impress. Then I stared about me as though taking counsel with the
Heavens, devoutly hoping that the Heavens would respond to my mute
appeal. As a matter of fact they did.

"There is my reason, Hans," I said in my most icy voice, and I pointed
to a faint line of smoke rising against the twilight sky on the further
side of the intervening valley.

"You will perceive, Ha