Ij6 SOME BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



was taking an extra hour or so in bed after the exertions 

 of the ball, so we would give him a little longer. Still 

 he failed to put in an appearance, and the affair now 

 began to appear in its true light. We had evidently 

 been "done," and no one likes to be "done." A great 

 indignation began to make itself felt within us at his 

 perfidy, so putting aside our ordinary occupations for 

 the day, we gave ourselves up to revenge. We com- 

 posed, with many flourishes and legal terms, a lengthy 

 document, which, when finished and sealed with the 

 lid of a tobacco tin, had a distinctly legal smack ; 

 this became the more apparent as we found on going 

 through it that we were at a loss to understand it when 

 completed. This form we left at the hotel, and then 

 sallied forth, filled with revengeful thoughts. 



There were but few people about, owing probably 

 to the dissipations of the previous night, but near the 

 shore of the river we came across a small urchin whom 

 we addressed with the object of finding out the residence 

 of the untruthful one. The small urchin at first seemed 

 doubtful as to whether he should divulge the secret, 

 but with the promise of a tickey the Colonial word 

 for threepence he agreed to take us to the place. 

 We had a little way to go, up a hill and through a path 

 in the woods, but in due time we were shown a reed- 

 built hut, situated in a small clearing in the bush, 

 which we were told was the residence of Mr. David 

 "Woodman." Here our small black guide left us, 

 evidently unwilling to be detected in the character of a 

 spy, so we approached the dwelling alone. A curl of 

 blue smoke was ascending from the hut, and altogether 

 the sylvan surroundings of the place seemed ill in keeping 



