clothing down the back so that it fell away in two 

 halves in front of him ; then he took off his own coat 

 and flogged the boy with his sjambok. 



I would like to tell all that happened for one reason : 

 it would explain the murderous man-hunting feeling 

 that possessed us when we heard it ! But it was too 

 cruel : let it be ! Only one thing to show the spirit : 

 twice during the flogging Seedling stopped to go into 

 the store for a drink. 



Jim crawled home to find his kraal ransacked and 

 deserted, and his wives and children driven off in panic. 

 In addition to the flogging Seedling had, in accordance 

 with his practice, imposed fines far beyond the boy's 

 means in cash, so as to provide an excuse for seizing 

 what he wanted. The police boys had raided the 

 kraal ; and the cattle and goats his only property- 

 were gone. 



He told it all in a dull monotone : for the time the 

 life and fire were gone out of him ; but he was not 

 cowed, not broken. There was a curl of contempt 

 on his mouth and in his tone that whipped the white 

 skin on my own back and made it all a disgrace unbear- 

 able. That this should be the reward for his 

 courageous defence of Jock seemed too awful. 

 We went inside to talk it over and make 

 our plans. The waggons should go on 

 next day as if nothing had happened, 

 Jim remaining in one of the half tents 

 or elsewhere out of sight of passers-by. 

 I was to ride into Lydenburg and lodge 

 information for in such a case the 



406 



