A HOTTENTOT PATRIOT. $2 J 



" Come, come ; cheer up, old man ! You'll see 

 me again, and that before long," I said. 



But with an incredulous smile upon his face he 

 bid me an abrupt adieu, and, without waiting for 

 reward or thanks, turned off among some adjoining 

 " kopjes'," where he was immediately lost to sight. 

 Naturally I concluded that I had seen, for the time 

 being, the last of this devoted friend. But such was 

 not the case ; for a few hours after I lost my way, 

 and, from the rough and irregular nature of the 

 ground, seemed unable to recover it. Hazardous as 

 the step was, in a fit of desperation I went to an ad- 

 jacent cattle kraal for information or a guide. My 

 reception was anything but assuring. The lads in 

 charge of it would scarcely answer me, and threats 

 or bribes, usually effective means, were for a time 

 utterly thrown away. 



At length I produced a sovereign. Its glitter 

 and value bore good results, for the oldest of the 

 party, after much hesitation, led the way and I fol- 

 lowed. Thus we had travelled about an hour and a 

 half, when my guide, who was a few yards in front 

 of me, was felled by a stone thrown by an invisible 

 hand. I thought the lad was killed, for he did not 

 move after he fell. The reason of the assault was a 

 mystery, unless the missile had been intended for 

 me, and if so, I might look out for a second one. 

 So I drew my revolver to be prepared for any emer- 

 gency. 



