THE DERELICT 97 



strange thorn-armed trees, or rather bushes, which, 

 from the tenacious manner in which their long double 

 thorns cling to one's clothing are known as wait-a-bit 

 bushes, attracted his attention. After a stiff climb up 

 the steep side of the kopje, Mortimore found himself 

 standing on a level, fertile spot through which babbled a 

 little lily-decked stream of water fringed with tree-ferns 

 and beautiful flowering shrubs. Still there was no trace 

 of the hut to be seen, and the mysterious spiral of smoke 

 had disappeared as though by magic. 



" ' Devilish queer thing ! ' muttered Jack as he looked 

 above and below, to right and to left. ' Devilish queer 

 thing ! I'll swear that smoke came from within ten 

 yards of this very spot.' Scarcely were the words uttered, 

 than a huge and magnificently proportioned Zulu, very 

 airily attired and armed with a formidable knobkerrie, 

 glided out of the foliage and stood towering and motion- 

 less like an ebony statue before the somewhat startled 

 Englishman. 



' Whom do you seek, baas ? The great white Induna 

 has gone hunting and will not return until the sun has 

 sunk beyond those far-away hills,' at length said the Zulu, 

 in the soft musical language of his race, as with knobkerrie 

 held high over his head in salute, he pointed first to the 

 sun and then to a distant chain of mountains to sign 

 that his master would not return until the first shades of 

 evening had fallen. Jack told the sable giant that he 

 had just left the great white Induna, and then Boowin, 

 with the natural courtesy of his tribe the Zulu is the 

 native gentleman of South Africa said, ' Your visit, 

 baas, is as welcome as rain after a long drought; come 

 up to the kraal and I will cook mealies and coffee.' 



