The Ivory Child Read online

  So it came about that one fine afternoon about a fortnight later, forhurry as we would our preparations took a little time, we trekked forZululand over the sandy roads that ran from the outskirts of Durban.Our baggage and stores were stowed in two half-tented wagons, very goodwagons since everything we had with us was the best that money couldbuy, the after-part of which served us as sleeping-places at night.Hans sat on the _voor-kisse_ or driving-seat of one of the wagons; LordRagnall, Savage and I were mounted upon "salted" horses, that is, horseswhich had recovered from and were therefore supposed to be proof againstthe dreadful sickness, valuable and docile animals which were trained toshooting.

  At our start a little contretemps occurred. To my amazement I sawSavage, who insisted upon continuing to wear his funereal upperservant's cut-away coat, engaged with grim determination in mounting hissteed from the wrong side. He got into the saddle somehow, but therewas worse to follow. The horse, astonished at such treatment, bolteda little way, Savage sawing at its mouth. Lord Ragnall and I canteredafter it past the wagons, fearing disaster. All of a sudden it swervedviolently and Savage flew into the air, landing heavily in a sittingposture.

  "Poor Beans!" ejaculated Lord Ragnall as we sped forward. "I expectthere is an end of his journeyings."

  To our surprise, however, we saw him leap from the ground with the mostmarvellous agility and begin to dance about slapping at his posteriorparts and shouting,

  "Take it off! Kill it!"

  A few seconds later we discovered the reason. The horse had shied ata sleeping puff adder which was curled up in the sand of that littlefrequented road, and on this puff adder Savage had descended withso much force, for he weighed thirteen stone, that the creature wassquashed quite flat and never stirred again. This, however, he did notnotice in his agitation, being convinced indeed that it was hanging tohim behind like a bulldog.

  "Snakes! my lord," he exclaimed, when at last after careful search wedemonstrated to him that the adder had died before it could come intoaction.

  "I hate 'em, my lord, and they haunts" (he said 'aunts) "me. If everI get out of this I'll go and live in Ireland, my lord, where theysay there ain't none. But it isn't likely that I shall," he addedmournfully, "for the omen is horrid."

  "On the contrary," I answered, "it is splendid, for you have killed thesnake and not the snake you. 'The dog it was that died,' Savage."

  After this the Kafirs gave Savage a second very long name which meant"He-who-sits-down-on-snakes-and-makes-them-flat." Having remounted himon his horse, which was standing patiently a few yards away, atlength we got off. I lingered a minute behind the others to give somedirections to my old Griqua gardener, Jack, who snivelled at partingwith me, and to take a last look at my little home. Alack! I feared itmight be the last indeed, knowing as I did that this was a dangerousenterprise upon which I found myself embarked, I who had vowed that Iwould be done with danger.

  With a lump in my throat I turned from the contemplation of thatpeaceful dwelling and happy garden in which each tree and plant was dearto me, and waving a good-bye to Jack, cantered on to where Ragnall waswaiting for me.

  "I am afraid this is rather a sad hour for you, who are leaving yourlittle boy and your home," he said gently, "to face unknown perils."

  "Not so sad as others I have passed," I answered, "and perils are mydaily bread in every sense of the word. Moreover, whatever it is for meit is for you also."

  "No, Quatermain. For me it is an hour of hope; a faint hope, I admit,but the only one left, for the letters I got last night from Egypt andEngland report that no clue whatsoever has been found, and indeed thatthe search for any has been abandoned. Yes, I follow the last star leftin my sky and if it sets I hope that I may set also, at any rate to thisworld. Therefore I am happier than I have been for months, thanks toyou," and he stretched out his hand, which I shook.

  It was a token of friendship and mutual confidence which I am glad tosay nothing that happened afterwards ever disturbed for a moment.