THE DERELICT 101 



descended a step lower and became waiter and man-of- 

 all-work in a roadside store and eating-house. 



" ' Couldn't stand " slinging hash " and serving tickey's- 

 worths of sugar to a lot of cursed, unwashed doppers, so I 

 found my way to this God-forsaken spot with Boowin, 

 and here I shall die,' declared he, as he finished the last 

 drop of dop in his guest's flask, adding, ' But I must 

 turn in and snatch a few hours' sleep, for I want to be 

 in the saddle before daybreak to try and get those 

 mules for you.' 



" It was two good hours before sunrise when G 



mounted Mortimore's pony. Striking a bee-hne in a 

 northerly direction, he galloped across the veld, heedless 

 of the innumerable aardvark earths, meerkat holes, and 

 other horse traps with which in many parts the ground 

 was simply honeycombed. Jack was discussing the 

 remains of the game stew which Boowin served for break- 

 fast, when he heard a great clatter of hoofs on the rocky 

 ground at the base of the kopje ; and looking out of the 

 hut door he saw his tattered host bringing in three pairs 

 of as good-looking mules as he had seen for many a long 

 day. * Old Jos6 Swartz let me have them at twelve pounds 



a head, and every animal " salted ! " ' exclaimed G as 



he entered the cabin. The price was ridiculously low, 

 for ' salted ' mules at the time were fetching at least 

 thrice that sum in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and as 

 Jack counted out the purchase-money and commission 

 he wondered within himself whether those same animals 

 would be claimed by Oom Swartz ere they were safely 

 across the Crocodile River. 



" Jack lost no time in saddhng up, and having promised 

 to bring G a stock of necessaries and ' medical com- 



