nd tie him there," I said to Falkner.
"He knows you better than he does me, and might give me trouble. We
don't want him damaged at any rate."

Even Falkner found it by no means easy to work his will with the now
infuriated animal, which with hackles erect was facing in the direction
of the impending aggression, making the air resound with his roaring
bark; and only he managed it by his characteristically drastic methods
in the shape of a double _reim_ well laid on. As it was I thought the
dog would have pinned him. However he managed to get him into the tent
waggon and securely tied. Hardly had he rejoined me when the whole
crowd was upon us, shouting and roaring as they surrounded the waggons,
bringing them to a standstill.

"I see you!" I said, coldly sarcastic. "Well, and what is it you want
now?"

For I had recognised several who had taken part in the former riot, what
time Dolf Norbury had appeared upon the scene.

"Want? What we want is the dog--the white dog," came the reply. "The
dog which you have stolen, Abelungu."

"The white dog. The dog which we have stolen," I repeated
sarcastically. "But the dog belongs to our people on the other side--
and we are taking him back. If he has been stolen it is from them."

"From them. Ha! That is a lie, Umlungu. Give us the dog, or we will
take him and everything you have got besides."

"I think not," I said. "But as I cannot talk with a number at once, I
must talk with one. Where is that one?"

The clamour redoubled but of it I took no notice. I filled my pipe
deliberately, and handed the pouch to Falkner.

"What are they saying?" he asked. I told him.

"Well, we ain't going to give up the dog," he said. "I'll see them
damned first," and in his excitement he appended a great deal more that
it is not expedient to reproduce.

"I'm with you there," I said. "And now," relapsing into the vernacular,
as a ringed man came forward--he was an evil-looking rascal, and I
recognised him as having been among those who had troubled us before.
"And now to begin with--who claims him?"

"Udolfu."

"Udolfu? Well how long has he had him, and where did he get him?"

"That is nothing to you, Umlungu. He is Udolfu's dog, and we are come
for him. So give him to us."

"Do you think you could take him yourselves and alive?" I said
banteringly, for the savage and frenzied barks of Arlo within the waggon
pretty well drowned our talk.

"We will take him,