Afterwards, however,
one of my voor-loopers reported that he had seen two waggons yesterday
afternoon trekking through the poort about five miles to the north there.
The white men with them said that they were travelling towards the Cape,
and pushing on to get out of the hills before the storm broke. They bade
him, if he met you, to bid you follow after them as quickly as you could,
and to say that they would wait for you, if you did not arrive before, at
the Three Sluit outspan on this side of the Pondo country, at which you
stopped some months ago."
"Yes," answered Richard, "I remember, but that outspan is thirty miles
away, so I must be getting on, or they will come back to hunt for me."
"First you will stop and eat with us, will you not?" said Mr. Dove.
"No, no, I have eaten. Also I have saved some meat in my pouch. I must go,
I must indeed, for otherwise my father will be angry with me. You see," he
added, "I went out shooting without his leave."
"Ah! my boy," remarked Mr. Dove, who seldom neglected an opportunity for a
word in season, "now you know what comes of disobedience."
"Yes, I know, sir," he answered looking at Rachel. "I was just in time to
save your daughter's life here; as you said just now, Providence sent me.
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