Captain Arthur Owen Vaughan (continued 2)

“‘So yeh’s got sometin’ else to do, has yeh?’ ses he den, a sort o’ slow an’ hurt like. ‘You mustto, I should say; an’ it must be sometin’ mighty busy to make you so snarley like dat when an ole friend like me t’ought you’d like him to take a bite o’ breakfas’ wid you.’

“Ou’ Wolf he feel mighty mean, but den he tink on Missus Wolf, an’ it ain’t no use; he yust ha’ to get dat house finis’. ‘I cahnt he’p it,’ ses he, stiff an’ hairy. ‘Dis yere house gotto be finis’. I hain’t no time to be a-huntin’ my dinner when dinner-time come. ’Sides, I’ll be too ’ungry.’

“‘Well,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, shakin’ his head as if he wouldn’ ha’ b’lieved it of Ou’ Wolf if he ha’n’t a-seen it. ‘Well, if you feel like dat it must be sometin’ pretty bad. What’s you in such a Allah Crachty hurry to finis’ dis house for anyhow?’ ses he. ‘Ou’ Wolf he don’t like to let it out, but he ha’ to say sometin’ to ’scuse hisse’f.’ He outs wid it. ‘Goin’ to get married,’ ses he, sharp an’ spiky. ‘Dat’s what.’

“‘Oh, dat’s it, is it?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse sort o’ brightenin’ up an half a-laughin’ all at once. ‘Well, dat is sometin’ to be a bit hairy about. If dat’s it, why I ain’t got nawtin’ more to say about it, but on’y yust to turn to an’ he’p you straightaway. If you’s goin’ to be married, den we’s yust gotto get dis house finis’,’ ses he, an’ he brace up an’ look as if he’s gettin’ a mighty fine speech off’n his chest.

“But Ou’ Wolf he ’members Ou’ Jackalse, an’ he don’t b’lieve in no sich a fine offer. ‘’Tain’t no good,’ ses he. ‘Dat’s my dinner, an’ it ain’t a-gun’ to be nob’dy’s breakfas’.’

“But you cahnt insult Ou’ Jackalse nohow while he’s a-smellin’ dat smell. ‘It ain’t a-gun’ to be my breakfas’ nohow,’ ses he, mighty brisk and pleasant like. ‘I yust wouldn’ have it—now I knows what’s de matter—not if you wanted me to. You’ll want you’ dinner pretty bad when de time comes—a lot mo’ dan I shall’ (an’ here Ou’ Jackalse sort o’ skip his back leg out an’ wink at it), ‘so I’m yust a-gun’ to lend you a hand to get finis’,’ an’ he offs wid his coat an’ chucks it down. ‘Look out for me,’ ses he. ‘I’s a-comin’ up to dat t’atchin’.’

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he don’t know what to say. He feel dat mean he wish Ou’ Jackalse ’ud slip an’ break his neck comin’ up. But Ou’ Jackalse he ain’t a slippin’ while he ain’t had dat meat yet outen darie pot, an’ he comes up yust as chirpy as a finch in a peach tree. ‘Why, we’ll ha’ dis yob finis’ in no time,’ ses he, an’ he smack Ou’ Wolf on his back atween de shoulders dat hearty he jarred de frown right off’n his face.

“‘You’s too slow to shift you’ own shadda. See me now. I’ll lay de t’atch on dis lower row an’ you work on up to de top f’m dat,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, as he slam one bundle o’ reeds at Ou’ Wolf an’ hitch anoder under his own leg on de rafter where he’s a-straddlin’. ‘You’s worse dan Ou’ Miss Kuraan for stan’in’ an’ yaw, yaw, yawin’,’ ses he.

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he cahnt yust feel like he’s a-likin’ it at all; he’s knowed Ou’ Jackalse too long for dat; but yet he cahnt yust see his way outen it needer. De longer dey work, de harder he get to studyin’ yust what Ou’ Jackalse is a-meanin’; an’ he tink so much an’ he tink so deep dat he clean forgot to watch yust what Ou’ Jackalse is a-doin’.

“An’ what was Ou’ Jackalse a-doin’ all de time, ses you? Why now, what would darie ou’ skellum be a-doin’ but doin’ skellum. First string o’ t’atch he lay along de rafters he’s mighty cheerful an’ mighty busy. Second string he lay along an’ you can see all de cheerful drop outen his face an’ see de grin begin to run an’ flicker where de cheerful was before. De t’ird string he lay an’ de fun begun to sheet in his eyes like de dry lightnin’ on a summer night, an’ he yust couldn’t hold in no longer. He ketch hold o’ de roots of his tail an’ he fair whizz it round and round till he almos’ make it hum, he feel dat full o’ laughin’ inside him. An’ all dis time Ou’ Wolf yust had his back to him, a-studyin’ an’ a-won’erin’ what mischief make Ou’ Jackalse want to he’p him. But he don’t like to look round to watch somehow.

“Den de fourt’ string Ou’ Jackalse lay he work as quiet an’ as slim as if he’s a-stealin’ it; an’ de ting dat it’s in his mind to do, dat’s de time he’s doin’ it? Ou’ Wolf he’s still a-studyin’ an’ he keep on still a-studyin’, till in about one jiff he hear darie pot lid a-liftin’ agen, an de smell comes up dat good an’ t’ick he can taste it.

“He swip his head round, an’ dere was Ou’ Jackalse wid de lid up an’ his nose a-workin’ an’ a-sniffin’ in de steam Didn’ Ou’ Wolf shout den. ‘Ho, yeh! How com’ yeh at darie dinner again?’

“Ou’ Jackalse he cock one year up to hear, an’ he cock one eye up to see. ‘Oh, dat’s all right,’ ses he, quite comfy. ‘Dis ain’t dat pot at all. Dis ain’t no dinner; dis is yust a breakfas’. You ain’t got no shout in dis at all.’

“Ou’ Wolf he don’t say not a word, but he yust make one flyin’ yump to land right fair on Ou’ Jackalse neck.

“But he don’t land. ’Stead o’ dat he tink he’s yumped right troo hisse’f an turned hisse’f inside out. Anyway, he knows he finds hisse’f hangin’ down, head first, between de rafters, a-scratchin’ an’ a-fratchin’ in de air. When Ou’ Jackalse t’atch dat fourt’ string he t’atch Ou’ Wolf’s tail fast in wid it, an’ dere’s Ou’ Wolf now a-hangin’ by dat tail, head down an’ fightin’, an’ he cahnt get back nohow.

“An’ don’t he shout! ‘Le’ me down out o’ dis,’ ses he. ‘You hear me now! Le’ me down or I’ll bang de stuffin’ out o’ you!’

“Ou’ Jackalse he smile quite s’prise’ like. ‘What you want down out o’ dat for anyhow?’ ses he, spearin’ out a piece o’ meat f’m de pot—an’ ho! but you ought to seen him lick his lips. ‘Dis cahnt be nawtin’ to do wi’ you nohow. Yours is a dinner, ses you, an’ dis is a breakfas’, you can see dat you’se’f, ’cause I’s a-eatin’ it an’ it’s breakfas’ time.’ An’ he gullups down de meat off’n half a dozen bones.

“‘Le’ me down now!’ yells Ou’ Wolf, gettin’ black in de face. ‘I’ll yust show you weder dat’s a breakfas’ or a dinner. I’ll teach you weder it’s mine or not!’

“‘Now you look-a’-me, Oom Wolf,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, his eyes a-twinklin’ fresh as he swipe down de last meat off’n de first rib. ‘I’ll tell you what I’ll do; I’ll divide wid yeh—dat’s fair enough. So here you is for your share,’ an’ he lams de clean bone at Ou’ Wolf an’ catches him a hummer on de jaw.

“Ou’ Wolf he fair lets out at dat; big words; words what make you’ years stand on end. An’ all de time Ou’ Jackalse keep on a-dippin’ an’ a-spearin’ in de pot, an’ a-tellin’ Ou’ Wolf what a clinkin’ fine piece o’ meat he’s pullin’ out, an’ how nice it taste, an’ how he hope Ou’ Wolf ’ll fin’ his dinner yust as nice when de time come—‘’Cause you said yust now you has your dinner in a pot som’eres round here, didn’ yeh?’ ses he, an’ he lams him wid anoder bone, biff!

“Den de last meat was eat an’ de last bone t’rown, an’ Ou’ Jackalse he come wid a long reed an’ he gun’ to tickle Ou’ Wolf on de end of his nose where he’s a-hangin’. But Ou’ Wolf he’s in dat rage he yust snap an’ yap at darie reed till all de frame o’ de house begin to shake, an’ Ou’ Jackalse he tink it’s about time to get f’m under. An’ dere ain’t no more to stop for anyhow—he might as well keep on a-movin’. So he did.

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he’s yust dat mad he won’t shout Ou’ Jackalse back to let him down an’ dey’ll say no more about it. Not him; he’ll yust hang an’ rattle an’ see him blowed first. But young Missus Wolf—well, you ’members dey wahnt married yet till de house ’ud be finis’, an’ I s’pose somehow she couldn’t he’p herse’f, but she yust hatto sa’nter past in de trees, an’ sort o’ peep an’ see how de house is a-gettin’ on. An’ dere she seen Ou’ Wolf a-hangin’, head down, an’ black in de face.

“Sich a scrick she got, an’ sich a scream she let out! an’ in about two ticks she was inside darie house frame to hold him up. She cahnt reach his head de fust time, but de second time she yump so high she ketch him by de years, an’ dere she is, a-hangin’ down f’m him—to hold him up! An’ Ou’ Wolf he’s dat much gone on her he don’t like to say nawtin’ about it—but he feel his tail like comin’ out by de roots.

“At last ses he—‘You’d better go up on de roof an’ make loose my tail. I’ll p’r’aps get down quicker dat way,’ ses he.

“As soon as she hear him speak—‘Oh, he ain’t dead yet, he’s alive yet,’ ses she. An’ she’s yust dat glad she fair hangs an’ swings agen, till Ou’ Wolf hatto say sometin’. ‘But my tail ain’t a-gun’ to last much more,’ ses he.

“Dat sort o’ cut into her sense a bit, an’ she stop an’ look. ‘Oh, dat’s it, is it?’ ses she, an’ she looks as if dat ain’t no great shakes to be de matter wid him. ‘If you’d yust go up an’ make it loose?’ ses he.

“‘Hump!’ ses she, but she cahnt say no more yust yet, an’ so up she go. But when she get up on de roof an’ see how fast his tail is t’atched in wid de rest, it kind o’ strike her to won’er how de jimminy his tail come like dat, an’ she hadn’t more’n begun to un-t’atch it ’fore she begin to ax him how come it so.

“Ou’ Wolf he ain’t in no Allah Crachty hurry to tell her all about it, but he ain’t no good at tellin’ you-know-whats. So what he hatto do he yust up an’ did, an’ he told her de hull tale plump.

“Now p’r’aps she tinks a lot of Ou’ Wolf, an’ agen p’r’aps she tinks more about bein’ goin’ to get married an’ have a house o’ her own to boss in. But anyhow she tinks a lot de most o’ herse’f, an’ she gets dat mad wid him for bein’ had so silly dat she cahnt stand it nohow. She yust stop unt’atchin’, an’ she fair slam herse’f half way down troo de rafters to reach him an’ biff him a one-two in de ribses. ‘Take dat!’ ses she, ‘an’ dat! for bein’ sich a fathead!’

“‘Ouk! Ouk!’ Ou’ Wolf he yell, an’ he make sich a kick an’ sich a fluster to get out o’ reach, dat fust ting you know de t’atch won’t hold no longer an’ it come loose an’ let him down wollop! fair on his head. But Missus Wolf she’s yust dat mad-an’-ginger dat she try to grab him an’ hold him up f’m droppin’ till she can biff him agen; an’ she grab yust too far an’ miss her reach, an’ down she come as well, head fust too, biff into his tummy, an’ knock de wind clean outen him.

“Atween his head an’ his tummy Ou’ Wolf he tink he’s fair about dyin’, but in yust two ticks Missus Wolf was up an’ a-lammin’ into him. Den he knowed yust how dead he ain’t, for he yumps up wid a howl an’ a howler, an’ he fair streak it out o’ dat into de vach-a-bikkie bushes till he could lost her. He sit down dere, but he cahnt tink for feelin’, an’ he cahnt rub his head for tinkin’ on his tummy, nor rub his tummy for tinkin’ on his head.

“But he lay it all up to Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Yust wait till I get a fair ole chance,’ ses he, ‘den see if I don’t get so even wid him it’ll stick out de oder side. Dat’s all.’

“Well, it went on like dis till one day Ou’ Wolf was a-raungin’ along, an’ who should he see alongside de road but Ou’ Jackalse, a-sittin’ an’ a-polishin’ off de last piece o’ biltong outen a bag; nice, fat, buck-biltong.

“‘Now I’s got him! See me if I don’t do sometin’ now,’ ses Ou’ Wolf, an’ he sits him down for a minute to see what’s de best way to do it.

“But Ou’ Jackalse had seen him long ago a’ready, an’ he don’t hatto sit down an’ study how he’s goin’ to do. He knows it an’ he does it. He don’t wait to be yumped. He yust gets straight up and skips over to Ou’ Wolf, like as if he ain’t seen him for he don’t know how long, an’ he never was so glad. ‘Here you is,’ ses he ‘Yust de very one an’ yust in time. Here, taste dat,’ ses he an’ he offers him de last little piece o’ de biltong. ‘I owes you a good breakfas’, an’ now I’s a-gun’ to pay you half a dozen for it.’

“Ou’ Wolf he don’t know. He’s mighty s’picious of Ou’ Jackalse any time you like, an’ worse when he’s a-offerin’ good turns. He draws back a bit. But dat biltong it look so red an’ sweet in de middle, where it’s cut across, an’ Ou’ Jackalse is a-lickin’ his lips wid such a smacks, dat Ou’ Wolf he take dat little piece an’ he wolf it down.

“Dat piece taste yust so good he cahnt he’p it—he’s gotto ha’ some more. ‘Where’s dere more o’ dat?’ ses he. ‘Tell me quick till I gets at it.’

“Ou’ Jackalse smile. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘I’ve a-eat dat much dat I cahnt run fast enough myse’f. If I hadn’t a-done I’d a-gone wid you. But it don’t matter anyhow—it’s yust too easy for troublin’ about.’

“‘Ne’er min’ dat. Where’s it?’ ses Ou’ Wolf, short an’ sharp.

“‘On de road dere,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘On dat road you sees de spoor of a waggon dat’s went along not so long since. All you has to do is to run a bit wide an’ get ahead o’ dat waggon. Den you lie down in de road an’ make like you’s dead—too dead for skinnin’ in a hurry. De waggon’ll come along an’ de baas he’ll see you, an’ he’ll say—“Hello! here’s a dead wolf. His skin’ll make a fine mat for my wife. I’ll take him home an’ skin him.”

“‘Den he’ll pick you up an chuck you on de waggon, an’ dere’s where all de biltong is—sacks an’ sacks of it. All you has to do is to wait a bit till de man ain’t a-lookin’, an’ den, flip!—you drops a sack o’ de nicest biltong out an’ slips off ahter it you’se’f. I on’y wish I had room for mo’,’ ses he, an’ he rubs his tummy like he’s fair a-longin’.

“Ou’ Wolf he look at Ou’ Jackalse an’ he tink what he was intendin’ o’ doin’. But de taste o’ dat biltong yust make his mouf run, an’ he cahnt wait. ‘Is dat de way you got yours?’ ses he, sharp an’ hairy.

“‘Dat’s de hull way,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse; ‘an’ I’s a laughin’ yet to tink on it—it’s so easy.’

“Ou’ Wolf he don’t want to seem like he’s too soft a-b’lievin’, but de biltong make him fair yammer for more. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘we’ll see,’ an’ off he sets to come round darie waggon.

“By’n’by he gets ahead, an’ den he cuts into de road an’ lies down, an’ makes yust de same as if he’s dead.

“De waggon comes along, an’ de man he see Ou’ Wolf a-lyin’ like dead in de road. ‘Hello!’ ses he, fair a-bristlin’, ‘here’s anoder on ’em, is dere? On’y toder one was a yackalse. An’ dis ’un’s goin’ to get chucked into de waggon too, is he, an’ steal anoder sack o’ biltong as well? But we’ll yust see about dat, we will. Here’s you!’ ses he, an’ he fair yump right square on Ou’ Wolf’s ribses—wallop!

“‘Wou-uk!’ yells Ou’ Wolf, an’ he try to up an’ run for it.

“‘So, you’re anoder, is you?’ shouts de man, an’ wallop he yumps on him agen.

“‘I didn’t. Le’ me go,’ yells Ou’ Wolf at dat.

“‘Steal anoder sack, will you!’ shouts de man, an’—wop!—he yumps on him some more.

“But Ou’ Wolf’s yust about had enough. If he don’t get out o’ dat immeejitly, if not sooner, den he’s goin’ to be deader dan he shammed a minute since. ’Fore you can say knife! he yust scratched up an’ away an’ light out for de oder side o’ de sky line, wid de man a-peltin’ him wid a stone for every stride. ‘P’r’aps you’ll come agen,’ ses de man.

“When Ou’ Wolf manage to crawl to de ridge he look back, an’ he sees de man a-whackin’ de whip into his team an’ shoutin’ like he feels right good an’ sa’cy. ‘Allah Crachty! look-a’-dat now,’ ses Ou’ Wolf to hisse’f, but he don’t rub no spot ’cause he cahnt make up his mind which is de sorest.

“Den he look along de ridge an’ dere he see Ou’ Jackalse, yust a-hoppin’ an’ a-rollin’ wid laughin’. Ou’ Wolf he look an’ Ou’ Wolf he tink. But Ou’ Wolf he’s still a-feelin’ too, an he fair flop down an’ say nothin’. Dere wahnt anytin’ else to say. But he shake his head: I tell you he shake his head,” ended Old Hendrik, shaking his own head with the word.

Chapter Six.

Ou’ Wolf lays a Trap.

The little girl was in a great way for a day or two at the immunity of the rascal Jackal in his dealings with Old Wolf. “But, Ou’ Ta’,” demanded she at last, “did Ou’ Wolf never pay off Ou’ Jackalse for his skellum tricks?”

“Well,” answered Old Hendrik, taking a fresh piece of sugar cane from under his arm and biting a good two inches off it as he began, sitting by the barn end, “dere was one time when he come so near it he would a-got square if it hadn’t a-bin Ou’ Jackalse. It look one time like Ou’ Jackalse was a-goner, but bein’ it was him, why o’ cou’se—

“It come like dis. Ahter Ou’ Wolf was new married, his missus she kep’ on a-yawin’ about how he’d let Ou’ Jackalse t’atch his tail fast, an’ steal his dinner, an’ biff him wid bones, an’ let him in for a bashin’ f’m de man wid de biltong waggon, till Ou’ Wolf he ’gin to be mighty glad he hadn’t tol’ her about all de rest o’ de times Ou’ Jackalse done him down. But all de same it seem like he ain’t save’ much by not tellin’ her, for de ting she did know seem like it’s quite enough to keep her goin’ all day an’ every day, an double span on Sunday. If she’d a-knowed more she couldn’t ha’ yawed more, ’cause dere ain’t but sev’n days in de week to yaw in when you’ve done your best. Ou’ Wolf couldn’t stan’ no more. He yust sneaked out an’ off.

“Well, he see it stickin’ out pretty plain dat he’ll hatto get square wid darie Ou’ Jackalse or he’ll hatto leave home—one or toder. But for de life o’ him he cahnt yust make up his mind what’s de best way to do it, an’ he tink dat hard as he go along, and he tink dat close as he stride along, dat fust ting he know he find hisse’f walkin’ plump onto Ou’ Jackalse’s house. He yust wake up in time to sit down sudden behin’ a bush till he see weder Ou’ Jackalse is at home or not.

“Pretty soon he’s pretty sure Ou’ Jackalse ain’t at home. In de fust place dere ain’t no smoke, an’ nex’ place de door’s shut fas’ an’ de window hole is bung up tight wid a vach-a-bikkie bush. ‘Dis is yust my chance at las’,’ ses Ou’ Wolf to hisse’f. ‘Dis is de time I’s a-gun’ to get even wid darie ou’ skellum. I’ll yust go inside dere an’ get behind de door till he comes in. Den—well den—won’t I bash him I’ll feel good, I will, when I biffs him. He won’t; dere won’t be no more’n a big mess left of him: yust a grease spot to swear by.’

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he shamber over an’ sneak into de house an’ hide hisse’f behind de door, an’ he hadn’t more’n fit hisse’f into de cohner dan here comes Ou’ Jackalse home agen.

“But Ou’ Jackalse he ain’t de sort to walk into no place foolish unless dere’s sometin’ extray on. ’Stead o’ goin’ straight up an’ steppin’ right in, he circle roun’ outside de house to see if it’s all serene fust an same’s he left it. He hadn’t gone half way roun’ ’fore he plump right on de spoor of Ou’ Wolf an’ dere he stop. ‘Dat ain’t my spoor,’ ses he, cockin’ his years all roun’. ‘Dat’s Ou’ Wolf ben here. P’r’aps he’s inside my house, hey?’

“Well, he study an’ he won’er an’ den at last he stroke his nose. ‘I know what I’ll do,’ ses he. ‘I’ll ax my house if dere’s anybody inside.’

“Den he call out, slow an’ cunnin’: ‘My ole house! My ole house!’ An’ he waits an’ dere ain’t no answer.

“He call agen: ‘My ole house! My ole house!’ an’ agen dere ain’t no answer.

“Dis time he winks an’ he change de call. ‘My ole house! I know Ou’ Wolf’s inside you, else you’d say, “Come in,” like you al’ays does.’ Den he laugh till you could hear him right troo de trees.

“Ou’ Wolf behind de door he hear every word, an’ he hear dat laugh besides. ‘Now,’ ses he to hisse’f, ‘if I calls out “Come in,” he’ll tink it’s his ole house a-callin’ an’ he’ll step right in Ou’ Jackalse ain’t so smart as he reckon dis time, else he wouldn’t ha’ tol’ de words for de house to say.’ Den he try to make his voice soft an’ wheedlin’, while he call out high an’ cunnin’, ‘Co-o-me in!’

“Ou’ Jackalse he let out a great big laugh fit to split, an’ he lam stones at de door till it rattle agen. ‘Come out o’ dat, ole fathead! Tink I cahnt tell your voice? ’Sides, dere’s you’ tail, wid de hairs a-stickin’ out troo de cracks.’

“Ou’ Wolf he’s dat mad at bein’ had agen so cheap an’ nasty he yust swang de door open, an’ at fust he tinks he’ll chase Ou’ Jackalse till he plum runs him down. But Ou’ Jackalse he go two licks for his one, an’ every once in a while he kick out his back foot to rile him up mo’. Ou’ Wolf yust hatto go home an’ tink it all over agen.

“Well, dis sort o’ ting go on an’ on till at last Ou’ Wolf he feel dat desprit he’ll hatto do sometin’ or bu’st. So off he sets for where de white owl lives, ’cause he ’members why de white owl on’y fly at night time, an’ he’s pretty sure Ole Owl’s a-gun’ to he’p him.

“De white owl listen to what Ou’ Wolf tell him, an’ he look so straight at Ou’ Wolf dat you’d tink his eyes was fas’ to him. ‘Well,’ ses he at last, ‘Ou’ Jackalse is mighty slim, but Tink Tinkey was slimmer when de birds was choosin’ a king. An’ Young Tinkey’s de littlest bird in de veldt. I’s a deal bigger’n Tinkey, an’ we’ll see if I cahnt beat Ou’ Jackalse worse dan him. So here’s what you do.

“‘You know where de leopard live, in de kloof on de yonder side de berg? Now she’s yust got four little cubses, an’ she fin’s it mighty hard scratchin’ to get scoff enough Well, tomorrow you comes home past Ou’ Jackalse’s house, as if you was comin’ from dat kloof, an’ you have some honey a-runnin’ down your yaws an’ a-drippin’ on your paws, an’ you pass Ou’ Jackalse where he’s a-sittin’ in de sun’ at his house end. But you don’t say good mawnin’ nor nawtin’—you yust goes on home.

“‘Nex’ day you does de same agen, an’ dat time he’s mighty sure to say good mawnin’, ’cause he’ll a-bin tinkin’ an’ studyin’ about dat honey ever since yestiday. But you don’t say not a word agen—you yust goes on home.

“‘Den de nex’ day once mo’, an’ dat day you ses good mawnin’ when he ses it, an’ dat’ll be enough. Ahter dat he’s mighty sure to open out an’ wheedle an’ coax to get it out o’ you where you got dat honey. But you don’t tell him at fust; you yust gives him a leetle teenty piece o’ honey-comb, what you’s got wropped up in a green leaf. Dat’ll make him fair wild to get mo’, an’ den’s your chance.

“‘Ses you to him, p’r’aps you’ll take him to it if he promise to keep it quiet, an’ he’ll be dat stirred he’ll promise afo’e you’s done axin’. Den you take him along to de kloof, an’ in de kloof you take him along to de great big rock at de fur end, an’ under de rock you show him de leopard’s house. “Dere,” ses you, “in dere’s de honey;” an’ in he’ll pop. Den you rolls a big stone in de door an’ leaves him dere—de leopard ’ll do all de rest as soon as it come home.’

“Well, Ou’ Wolf feel sure dat’s a-gun’ to be all right. It soun’ so slim he tink it’s about all done a’ready except de laughin’. An he do most o’ dat, too, as he go off to start de business.

“Well, de fust day when Ou’ Wolf come past his house Ou’ Jackalse was a-sittin’ by de prickly pear in front an’ he don’t say a word. He yust looks over his shoulder to see if de door’s open so he can pop inside an’ bang it shut if Ou’ Wolf make a dive for him. Den he notice de honey a-drippin’ on Ou’ Wolfs mouf an’ his paws an’ he beat his tail once on de groun’ considerin’. But Ou’ Wolf take no mo’ notice dan if he was his own shadda on de wall.

“Nex’ day when Ou’ Jackalse see him a-comin’ he ’gun to won’er. ‘Watto!’ ses he. ‘Here’s Ou’ Wolf agen, an’ de honey drippin’ off’n him worse’n yestiday. Dat’s a bit funny.’

“’Stead o’ lookin’ at de door dis time he speak out. ‘Mawnin’, Oom Wolf,’ ses he.

“Ou’ Wolf he don’t turn his head no mo’ ’n if it was meer-cats. He keep straight on an’ he lick his lips, smack! smack! till Ou’ Jackalse he fair hump his back wid wantin’ some o’ dat honey.

“De day ahter dat, when Ou’ Wolf come past, Ou’ Jackalse was a-waitin’ ready, an’ as soon as he see de honey a-drippin’ he sort o’ sa’nter over close. ‘Mawnin’, Oom Wolf,’ ses he, ‘fine rains we bin a-havin’. Dere’s a Koodoo wid a calf de yonder side de spruit. Don’t you think we might get de calf if we all two goes togeder?’

“Ou’ Wolf stop at dat as if he’s sort o’ considerin’. ‘No,’ ses he; ‘I ain’t so dead gone on Koodoo meat dese days nohow. I’s dat full o’ honey I ain’t a-itchin’ for anytin’ else.’

“Ou’ Jackalse tongue begin to run. ‘Do you tink dat honey mightn’t be bad?’ ses he. ‘It look mighty dark.’

“‘Oh, it’s de dark sort,’ ses Ou’ Wolf, an’ he lick his chops till Ou’ Jackalse cahnt stan’ it. He yust come right up an’ ketch a drop as it drip down.

“Dat set him a-twitchin’ for mo’. ‘Oom Wolf,’ ses he, ‘ain’t you goin’ to gi’e me yust a leetle teenty bittie honey now? Ole chummies like us two, you know.’

“Ou’ Wolf he sort o’ consider dat. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘I wouldn’t mind doin’ it, but I’s on’y got one piece lef; a piece I’s a-takin’ home to my missus.’

“‘Your missus!’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, sort o’ pityin’ like. ‘Well, if you does dat sort o’ ting, why’—an’ he shake his head like he’s pretty sorry for a man dat’s come down to dat. ‘But anyhow,’ ses he, ‘your wife don’t know you got dis honey, so it won’t matter if you does gi’e it me. What she don’t know about she cahnt trouble about. You can gi’e me it an’ she won’t never know.’

“‘Oh, but she knows I went to get some,’ ses Ou’ Wolf, as if he’d like to do it but darsn’t.

“‘Tell her some’dy else is been dere afo’ you an’ scrape’ it all away,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘She won’t know but what it’s true.’

“‘Well,’ ses Ou’ Wolf, ‘I might do dat—dough I ’spects I’ll be sorry for it. Here it is den,’ an’ he unwrops de leetle piece o’ honeycomb.

“In yust one bite Ou’ Jackalse take it in, an’ den dat set him on prickles to get a reg’lar feed of it. ‘Allah man!’ ses he, ‘dat’s good. Whar you get it?’

“‘Oh! long way off,’ ses Ou’ Wolf. ‘Too fur to carry it home; so I goes an’ has a feed as much as I can hol’ every day. Dere’s such lots of it.’

“‘Lots of it’,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse ahter him, fair squirmin’. ‘Couldn’t we yust go back dere now, an’ I’d take a calabas an’ fetch a calabasful back for you to take to your missus? Dat’d do all right den.’

“Ou’ Wolf he shake his head an’ draw back a bit.

“‘Well,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, ‘you’d a-better do it now. Your missus’ll see where it’s dripped on you, an’ she’ll smell it anyhow, an’ den she ain’t a-gun’ to b’lieve you nohow—you knows dat. You’d better come now an’ le’ me carry a calabasful back for her.’

“Ou’ Wolf seem like dat strike him new. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘p’r’aps I’d better. But no shenanigin now. If I takes you to dis yere place you’ll hatto carry two calabasies back, not one.’

“‘Is dere all dat honey den?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Allah Crachty! yust hol’ on an’ I’ll get de two calabasies dis minute an’ show you,’ an’ off he darts into his house an’ out agen wid two o’ de biggest sort o’ nice new calabasies. ‘Here’s ’um, come on,’ ses he. But he wink to hisse’f, an’ he ses to hisse’f, ‘If I carry dat honey back I know who’ll eat it too.’

“Ou’ Wolf he make like he’s mighty onwillin’, an’ he on’y go ’cause he’s feared of his missus. An’ all de way Ou’ Jackalse is a-tellin’ him where dey’ll hunt togeder nex’ day, an’ nex’ week; an’ where dere’s a-gun’ to be some fine water-millons ’fore long. An’ all de way Ou’ Wolf’s a-takin’ it all in an’ sayin’ he shouldn’ won’er if dere was.

“Well, dey come to de kloof an’ dey come to de rock, an’ dere was de house where de leopard live. ‘De honey’s in dere,’ ses Ou’ Wolf. ‘Right inside, an’ you turn up de bed an’ dere it is. An’ don’t forget dem two calabasful for my missus.’

“Ou’ Jackalse he laugh, an’ he dive right inside. He’ll see about dem two calabasies, he will. But he hadn’t mo’en got inside ’fore Ou’ Wolf spring about an’ roll a great big stone plump into de doorway. ‘Ho yeh, smarty!’ ses he. ‘Dis is de time you wahnt smart enough. You’ll be a’ right when de leopard comes home an’ finds you wid her cubses. You’d carry me two calabasies full o’ honey, hey? Lots o’ honey I’d trust you wid, wouldn’t I?’

“Ou’ Jackalse hear de stone a-rollin’ in an’ he make a dive to get out agen, but he on’y bang his head—bang stars outen it. Den he hear what Ou’ Wolf say, an’ he sniff an’ sniff high. ‘I’ll bet you b’lieved I was a-gun’ to carry dat honey for you!’ ses he.

“‘An’ I’ll bet you tink I should ha’ trusted you if dere’d bin honey here!’ ses Ou’ Wolf.

“‘An’ I know you tink all de time I b’lieved dere was honey here!’ sniffs Ou’ Jackalse. ‘I know dere’d be no honey, or you wouldn’t ha’ showed me. But I knowed dere’d be sometin’—an’ dere is. Dere’s better eatin’ still; dere’s cubses.’

“‘An’ dere’s mo’,’ ses Ou’ Wolf; ‘dere’s deir mammy. Dere’s de leopard. An’—Allah Crachty, here she come!’

“You should ha’ seen Ou’ Wolf get out o’ dat.

“De leopard come an’ look, an’ de leopard put its paw on de stone. ‘What’s dis doin’ here?’ ses it, an’ it growl till it give Ou’ Jackalse wits a scrick.

“He hatto do sometin’ an’ be sharp about it too. He speak up quick an’ lively. ‘I put dat stone dere. You better not to shift it. I see Ou’ Wolf a-smackin’ his lips, tinkin’ what a nice dinner he was goin’ to make off ’n your cubses. So I yust got inside an’ pull dis stone agin de door to keep him out an’ save your little cubickies. If you look you’ll see his spoor.’

“De leopard look, an’ sure enough dere’s Ou’ Wolfs spoor. ‘Allah man!’ ses it. ‘An’ so dat Ou’ Wolf want to get my cubses while I’s out a-huntin’, hey?’

“‘He is dat,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse inside. ‘An’ he reckon if he cahnt get ’em to-day he’ll do it anoder day. So you better to leave de stone dere an’ le’ me hand out your cubses troo de winda to be suckle’ an’ put back. Den I’ll watch ’em while you go huntin’ agen, an’ I’ll keep on like dat till dey’s big enough to see an’ go wid you a-huntin’.’

“‘Dere’s sense in dat,’ ses de leopard. ‘I’ll yust do dat. Hand me out de cubses.’

“So Ou’ Jackalse he hand out one cub, an’ when it’s had enough he take it back an’ hand out anoder; an’ he do dat way till all four bin out an’ feed. ‘Now you look ahter ’em agen till I come back,’ ses de leopard, an’ off it go agen.

“Ou’ Jackalse he sit down and look roun’. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘dere never was no honey here, but dis dat’s here is near as sweet an’ a big lot better—dese’s cubses; fat cubses; yuicy cubses. Ou’ Leopard would hatto pay me for nursin’ ’em when I finis’ anyhow, but I reckon it’s better I draw my pay fust, den if you don’t like de work you nee’nt to do it. Here’s me has one o’ dem cubses anyhow.’

“Well, he eat one cub, an’ it eat dat sweet he tink by jimminy it’ll take more dan one leopard to drive him out o’ dat while dere’s any cubses left. So dere he set an’ he sing a song about de honey dat had hair on. Den de leopard come back an’ ax, ‘Hello! how’s my cubickies?’

“‘Yust fine,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse—‘for eatin’.’

“‘What’s dat?’ ses de leopard, tail a-wavin’.

“‘Well, deir eatin’s drinkin’,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘An’ here’s de first,’ ses he, handin’ out one.

“Well, dey hands ’em out an’ dey hands ’em in, an’ dat’s t’ree cubses. De leopard’s a-waitin’ for de fourt’, an’ dat’s de one Ou’ Jackalse cahnt hand out ’cause it’s inside him. But he don’t turn a hair; he yust wink to hisse’f an’ hand out de first agen. ‘Extra dose for you,’ ses he when he take it in agen. ‘Extra yuice for me.’

“So when de leopard’s gone a-huntin’ agen Ou’ Jackalse eat de cub what had de two drinks, an’ when de leopard come back he hands out de cubses, one, two, an’ den number one agen for number t’ree, and number two for number four. An’ he feel dat tickled wid hisse’f he stan’ on his head inside dere. Den de leopard go huntin’ agen, an’ Ou’ Jackalse eat anoder cub, an’ when de leopard come back dere’s on’y one lef. ‘How’s de cubickies?’ ses de leopard.

“‘Fine,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Dey yust is fine!’ an’ he wink to hisse’f. ‘On’y dere’s one make like he ain’t so well. But it’ll be a’ right ahter it’s had a drink.’

“Den he pass out de one last cub, an’ it take it’s milk, an’ de leopard hand it back. Den he pass it out agen an’ it have anoder feed. Same way de nex’ time, an’ den de last time it’s yust so full it cahnt drink no more, an’ its little tummy’s all swell out. ‘Dat’s de one what ain’t so well,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“‘It do look like it’s a bit sickie,’ ses de leopard. ‘I wonder what’s de matter wid it?’

“‘I tink dis stone stop up all de air,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘You might yust pull it a little way back; not de hool way out, else Ou’ Wolf might try to get in agen.’

“So de leopard pull out de stone a bit; not too far, but yust far enough for Ou’ Jackalse to squeeze out if he want to. ‘Look ahter dat sick ’un,’ ses de leopard, an’ off she go.

“Den Ou’ Jackalse scoff de last cub. ‘Allah man!’ ses he, ‘ain’t it a pity dey’s all done. An’ now I’ll ha’ to slant for home ’fore de leopard come an’ want to feed her cubses agen.’

“Den he squeeze hisse’f outside ready to go, an’ he hadn’t strid de fust stride ’fore he sees de leopard comin’ back. Dere he was, an’ dere’s de leopard comin’ for her cubses; but darie ou’ skellum he ain’t done yet. He let a yell outen him, an’ run an put his shoulder to de rock. ‘Make hurry! make haste,’ he shout ‘De rock’s a-fallin’ on your house. Come an’ he’p me hol’ it up! make hurry!’

“De leopard don’t stop to look, an’ de leopard don’t stop to tink. It hear Ou’ Jackalse yellin’, an’ it see him plank his shoulder to de rock, an’ strain an’ puff till his eyes stick out to hol’ up dat rock; an’ in yust about one tick dat leopard was dere too, wid his shoulder to de rock, scratchin’ an’ yammin’ to hol’ it up too.

“‘Hol’ it now till I run an’ get a prop,’ shouts Ou’ Jackalse, an’ de leopard he yust double hol’s while Ou’ Jackalse dive into de trees to look for de prop.

“But,” concluded the old Hottentot, with an impressive pause, “he ain’t got back wid dat prop yet.”

Chapter Seven.

Ou’ Jackalse takes Ou’ Wolf a-Sheep Stealing.

The children had been privately discussing for several days the state of things as between Ou’ Jackalse and Ou’ Wolf, and the verdict came out on this hot mid-day as they sat beside Old Hendrik under the big mimosa.

“Ou’ Wolf was always such a big fool,” protested the eldest boy, with the wondrous contempt of his years; “such a fool to let that Ou’ Jackal best him every time, like he did.”

“Well,” admitted Old Hendrik with a grin, “Ou’ Wolf he might ha’ look out a bit mo’ p’r’aps, when he come near Ou’ Jackalse. But den, I tell you, darie Ou’ Jackalse is yust dat slim dere ain’t no slimmer. If you want to keep ahead o’ him you’d ha’ to get up so early dere ain’t no time to go to bed, an’ den you’d on’y see his heel dust away yonder. Look dat time when Ou’ Jackalse got Ou’ Wolf into goin’ a-sheep stealin’ wid him. What ’ud you want mo’ fairer dan dat look at de start? An’ den what about de finis’ of it?

“Times is been a lot better many a time dan dey was den. De rinderpest was gone a’ right enough, but de game was mighty sca’se yet, an’ if Ou’ Jackalse want to live on meat he hatto go mostly stalkin’ roun’ farmers’ kraals for sheep. But him bein’ doin’ it on his lonesome he ain’t had so much luck as he tink he’d like to have. One kraal specially he yust would like to get into, an’ dere he tink he’d have de biggest feed of his life. It’s a’ right to get into it some night an’ fill hisse’f up to de eyes wid meat, but dere’s de mawnin’ after—dat’s de trouble. De mawnin’ after de man’s a-goin’ to find out what’s happen’, an’ he’ll get his dogs an’ hunt for de one dat did it. An’ Ou’ Jackalse he’s a-goin’ to be too full o’ feed to be hunted dat nex’ mawnin’. Huntin’ ain’t a-goin’ to agree wid him at all dat nex’ day.

“But he wants dat feed, an’ he don’t want to get ketched—dat’s two tings; an’ he tink, an’ he tink, an’ study, but it all come back to de one ting; he’ll yust hatto rope Ou’ Wolf into de game if he’s a-goin’ to do it at all.

“Well, he raunge about, an’ he dodge about till at last he see Ou’ Wolf a-comin’. Den he turn his back to him an’ make like he’s a-slinkin’ an’ a-stalkin’ ahter sometin’. Dat set Ou’ Wolf a-wonderin’, an’ he sit down an’ watch Ou’ Jackalse a-stealin’ an’ a-feelin’ troo de bushes till he’s most out o’ sight. ‘Tell you what,’ ses Ou’ Wolf to hisse’f, ‘darie Ou’ Jackalse is ahter sometin’ good, I know. I’s better watch him an’ see if dere ain’t sometin’ in it for me too.’

“So up he get an’ stalk on ahter Ou’ Jackalse; an’ Ou’ Jackalse he don’t let on but yust keeps on a-walkin’ an’ a-baulkin’ till he comes to where he can see dat kraal he’s a-wantin’ at. Dere he get behind a big stone where Ou’ Wolf ain’t a-gun’ to see him till he step out right alongside him.

“Ou’ Wolf he keep on a-stalk an’ a-stalkin’, till all in a eye-open he find hisse’f rubbin’ ribses wid Ou’ Jackalse, an’ he’s dat ’stonish dat he ketch his breaf, an’ he don’t know de fust word to say.

“But Ou’ Jackalse open on him wid de biggest wide-open smile. ‘Oh!’ ses he, ‘so dat’s you, is it? An’ you stalks me like dat, does you? By de jimminy, I al’ays did say you was about de slimmes’ ole takhaar on de veldt. Well, dat’s good, dat is, to ketch me like dat; an’ now you’s foun’ me out I s’pose I’ll ha’ to own up. Dat is de kraal I’s a-gun’ to get de big feed outo’. But I don’t mind anyhow; dere’s enough for de two of us, an’ forty times over if dat’s all. An’ to-night’s a-gun’ to be yust de right night as well.’

“Ou’ Wolf he’s dat shamed at bein’ ketched like dat, an’ dat glad o’ gettin’ off so good, dat he sit right down an’ talk growly to save his feelin’s. ‘Ho! you ses dere’s enough for de two on us, does you. Dat’s how many?’

“‘You count ’em when you sees ’em by’n’by,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘You wait here till it ’gins to get night an’ den you’ll see de sheep yust make darie kraal white. An’ fat!—dey’s yust so fat dey waddles.’

“‘Is dey?’ Ou’ Wolf fair feel his back begin to rise. ‘An’ you tinks we’ll get ’em a’ right?’ ses he.

“‘Get ’em?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, like dat is a ting to say. ‘You yust wait an’ see.’

“Well, dere dey wait an’ dere dey watch, an’ dere when de sun drop dey see de sheep draw into de kraal, an’ see de farmer come out an’ look ’em over, an’ ahter dat him an’ de boy go off to supper an’ sleep. Den it drop dark an’ come midnight. ‘Now we go down,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“So down dey goes, an’ dey comes to de kraal, movin’ as quiet as shaddas an’ as soft as de dark, an’ dey’s yust dat light an’ empty dey yumps on to de kraal wall like birds a-lightin’. Den dey drops down, an’ dere dey begins to eat.

“Dey eats one sheep an’ dey eats two sheep, an’ den Ou’ Jackalse he draw off dat quiet dat Ou’ Wolf don’t hear, an’ he crawl to de water-let hole at de bottom o’ de kraal wall, an’ tries if he’s still not swell’ too much to slip out troo dat hole, ’cause he knows right well dey’s bofe too full to yump back over de kraal wall. But he finds dat’s a’ right; he can get out easy yet, so he go back an’ he has mo’ feed. An dat way he keep on an’ on, eatin’ fust an’ den tryin if his tummy ain’t too big yet to slip troo’, till at last he cahnt on’y yust scrape troo wid scratchin’ till he’s black in de face. ‘Pity I ain’t shav’ all my sideses,’ ses he, ‘den I could slip troo yust one time mo’. Dem sheep dey is so fat.’

“Well, dere’s de man an’ de dogs to tink on now, an’ dis is de time he want Ou’ Wolf for. He knows Ou’ Wolf’s gone on eat an’ eat an eatin’, till he fair couldn’t har’ly get out o’ de gate if it was open, let alone troo de waterlet hole, not if de dogs had hol’ of his tail. An’ dat’s yust what Ou’ Jackalse bin a’ figurin’ on, so now he slink away into de bushes close by, an’ den he change his voice an’ begin to call out: ‘Baas! baas! Wolf in de kraal. Baas! baas! Wolf’s in de kraal!’

“‘Dere!’ ses he to hisse’f, ‘I’m a right now. De man an’ his dogs ’ll find Ou’ Wolf in de kraal, an’ dey’ll know all about who done it, so dey won’t be lookin’ for anyb’dy else. Dere won’t be no huntin’ ahter me—dat’s what I couldn’t stan’ yust now; it’s mo’ dan I ought to hatto do is to walk, let alone run, out o’ dis,’ ses he.

“But he hatto walk some anyhow, ’cause de man he’s heerd de shouts, an’ he wake up, an his dogs an his Koranna boys, an dey all rush out for de kraal. Ou’ Wolf he hear ’em comin’ an’ he make a slope for de waterlet hole, an’ he dive head fust into dat.

“De head part’s a’ right; dere ain’t no trouble about dat part goin’ in. But his body!—Allah Crachty, man! but dat body ain’t a-gun’ to begin a-goin’ into, let alone troo, dat hole. An’ fust ting he know de man has him f’m behind.

“Well, I’s tole you mo’ dan once o’ de lammins an’ de bashins Ou’ Wolf’s had afore dat, an’ he’s been knock pretty sick in his time. But all de biffinest bashins what he ever had was yust pettin’ an’ strokin’ alongside o’ what he get dis time, till at last, when de dogs tink dey’s worried de last life outen him, an’ de man tinks he’s kill’ all der is in him, den de Koranna boys pick up de carcase an’ chuck it over de wall on to de veldt outside, an’ dere it lie, lookin’ de deadest ting dat ever was alive, while de man an’ de boys an’ de dogs go back to sleep.

“Ou’ Jackalse he’s been a-watchin’ all dat, an’ along about de break o’ day he see Ou’ Wolf stir a leg. Den come sun-up an’ Ou’ Wolf stir his tail, an ahter dat it ain’t but a little while ’fore he pulls de pieces of hisse’f togeder an’ ’gins to crawl off somehow, ’cause he know if de man find him lyin’ dere when he get up he’ll skin him for a kaross.

“‘Ou’ Wolf’s off for home now,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse to hisse’f. ‘So’s I—but I ain’t a-walkin’; dat ’ud be too bad, I’s dat full. Watch me now,’ an’ he wink to hisse’f dat same ole wink.

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he drag hisse’f along, an’ he hump hisse’f along, an’ he wish hisse’f along, an’ den of a sudden he come plump right onto Ou’ Jackalse, lyin’ lookin’ like he’s quite de nex’ skyline toder side o’ dead. ‘By de jimminy!’ ses Ou’ Wolf, ‘dead or ain’t dead, I’s yust a-gun’ to bite his year off for shoutin’ out de farmer an’ de dogs on to me. I will dat.’

“But he hadn’t no sooner come closer to worry him dan Ou’ Jackalse open his eyes. ‘Ho!’ ses he. ‘So dat’s how you pay me for lettin’ you come along o’ me, an’ givin’ you a fair ole gorge, is it? Fust you gets all you can stuff, an’ den you shouts to de farmer dat Ou’ Jackalse is in de kraal! an’ out he comes an’ de dogs, an’ dey’s most killed me de deadest Jackalse ever was. Allah Crachty! I’s know better dan trust you anoder time if ever I gets over dis,’ ses he, an’ he kick out one leg wid a yerk as if he’s goin’ a deader.

“Ou’ Wolf he’s fair knock’ back on his tail wid de ’stonishment. ‘Well, I be jimminied!’ ses he. ‘When I hear you wid my own years shoutin’ “Wolf in de kraal!” an’ now you try to come over me dat I shout de farmer out to you! Dat’s a good ’un, dat is.’

“‘Does you mean dat I didn’t hear you a-shoutin’ de farmer dat I was in de kraal?’ snarl’ Ou’ Jackalse, like he want to know what next.

“‘An’ does you mean to say I didn’t hear you a-shoutin’ de farmer dat I was in de kraal?’ growl’ Ou’ Wolf.

“Ou’ Jackalse make like dey’ll be tellin’ him dem ain’t his own years nex’. ‘Look-a’-me, Ou’ Wolf,’ ses he. ‘Dis yere’s mighty funny. Some’dy must ha’ shouted some’dy’s in de kraal, else how come de man out an’ bash me like I is. Who could ha’ done it if it wasn’t you? ’nless, ’nless—by jimminy!’ ses he, ‘’nless’n it’s darie Ou’ Baviyàan! I seen him chained up dere by de house, an’ he look mighty sour at me ’cause I’s loose. But I didn’t tink he’d a done it on us—did you now?’

“Well, Ou’ Wolf he ’gun to go back in his mind on all de tings what Ou’ Baviyàan’s done in time past, an’ he ’gin to tink he ain’t so su’e but what it’s yust de sort o’ ting Ou’ Baviyàan would do if he got de off chance. ‘If I’d on’y a-seen darie Ou’ Baviyàan,’ ses he, ‘I bet I’d a-done sometin’.’

“‘Yes. But now dere’s de gettin’ home,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘You’s a’ right, you can travel; but me—I don’t know what I’s a-gun’ to do, as bad as I is.’

“Ou’ Wolf he tink it over. He’s yust about so bad hisse’f he couldn’t feel no badder. But Ou’ Jackalse had let him in to a share o’ dat big ole feed, an’ he’s had dat feed anyhow. He ain’t a-gun’ to leave no ole chummie like dat. ‘Well,’ ses he, ‘I’s pretty rocky myse’f, but if you manage to get onto my back, I tink I’ll get you home some ways.’

“‘You looks mighty bad,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, an’ he screw his face up like he wantto groan, but dat’s to hide de chuckle. ‘An’ yet I’ll hatto get carried somehow!’

“‘Up you come den, an’ say no more about it,’ ses Ou’ Wolf.

“Well, dey got him up on his back ahter a terr’ble struggle, an’ Ou’ Wolf he stuck to it an’ ’gin to knock off de len’ths to’ards home. But Ou’ Jackalse he’s yust dat tickle wid hisse’f he cahnt keep it in, he ha’ to sing it out:—

“Dis de funniest ever you foun’, For de sick he carry de soun’— Work’s on’y a fool to a trick, For de soun’ he ride de sick.

“‘What’s dat?’ ses Ou’ Wolf, stoppin’ like he’s ready to t’row him down.

“‘Oh,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, ‘I only sing sometin’:’

“‘It’s good when de one dat’s soun’ Don’t mind to carry de sick.’

“‘A’ right,’ ses Ou’ Wolf. ‘But I t’ought it soun’ like sometin’ else.’ Den he go on agen.

“Well, he go on an’ on, carryin’ Ou’ Jackalse, till dey comes nigh home, an’ Ou’ Jackalse he cahnt hold in no longer for fear de laugh in his inside’ll bu’st him tryin’ to get out. He yust ha’ to get down an’ dance, an’ he gi’es one high ole kick an’ a yump, an’ over go Ou’ Wolf on his head, an’ den darie skellum he’s a-prancin’ an’ a-dancin’ all roun’ him, wid de same ole song a-goin’:—

“It’s de funniest ever you foun’. When de sick he carry de soun’, It never was done before Dat de well he ride de sore.

“Ou’ Wolf he wantto get up an’ yust fight an’ bite, but what wid de bashin’ he had in de kraal, an’ de fashin’ he had carryin’ darie Ou’ Jackalse, he’s too fair gone in to get up agen. ‘But on’y wait till I get hold o’ you agen,’ ses he, ‘dat’s all!’

“‘Yes, yust wait,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse a-chucklin’.

“An’,” ended the old Hottentot, “as fur as I can make out he’s bin a-waitin’ ever since. Leastaways, I don’t hear yet as he’s ever done it. An’ de bettin’s all de oder way till now.”

Chapter Eight.

When the Birds would choose a King which tells also why the white owl only flies by night.

The three children were lounging with the dogs under the tall blue-gums by the house corner, when the old Hottentot stepped out of the kitchen to find a shady spot for his afternoon nap. Before he could settle anywhere, however, the eldest boy lifted his face and caught sight of a mere speck, far up in the still hot sky, where a vulture hung motionless in the blue.

“Oh, look!” cried he at once. “There’s Old Baldy, the Aasvo’el, almost out of sight. Ain’t he just high! I bet there ain’t any other bird can fly as high as he can.”

The old Hottentot turned, first to look at the vulture and then at the little boy. “Well,” said he, “dere was one time, dough, when it took a whole big indaba of all de birds to say which flew de highest—him or Young Tink Tinky.”

“Young Tink Tinky!” echoed the eldest boy scornfully. “Why! he’s the very littlest, teeniest bird in the veldt!”

“Yes, dat’s yust de way Ou’ Jackalse talked,” answered Old Hendrik gleefully. “But he find out ’fore he finis’ dat it ain’t de size but de sense dat counts.”

“Well, I bet I could soon settle which flew the highest,” returned the boy.

“Mebbe,” said Hendrik. “But anyhow, it took de birds a deal o’ time to settle it. An’ trouble—dere was trouble, too, ’fore dey finis’, an’ de White Owl he ain’t never fly about in de daytime from dat day to dis. He’s mighty big, an’ he’s a mighty ole beak an’ clawses, but he darsent on’y fly about o’ nights since den.”

“Oh, now, you must tell us all about it, Ou’ Ta’,” commanded little Annie. “You’ll see how soon we’ll settle it.”

“Will I, Ainkye?” answered the old fellow, with his deepest smile. “Well, here’s de tale an’ you can try anyhow. You see, it was all along o’ dese yere birds dat on’y come in de summer an’ don’t stay for de hard times in de winter. De Af’icander birds dat live here all de time dey got to studyin’ about dese outlander birds what yust comes to skim de cream o’ de year; an’ nawtin’ ’ud do ’em but dey’s goin’ to make a King. Dey reckon de King he’ll tell dese outlander birds he’s had yust about enough o’ deir hanky panky, an’ dey’ll ha’ to stop here all de year roun’ or stop som’ere’s else; but dey cahnt do bofe. Dat’s what Kings is for.

“Well, de birds dey talks to one anoder, an’ de birds dey gets togeder for a big indaba; but when one ses do dis way, anoder ses do dat way, till dey all dunno what’s it all a-gun’ to end in, an’ at last dey all agrees to ax a outsider to set some way o’ choosin’ dis yere King. An’ what outsider? Why, who but Ou’ Jackalse, o’ course.

“But dey’ll ha’ to wait a day or two ’fore dey gets him. De Aard-Vark is invite’ Ou’ Jackalse to a big dwala drink, an’ it ain’t no use to talk till dat’s over.

“Well, dis yust suit Ole Baldy Aasvo’el. He don’t say a word, but he sail off, an’ by’n’by he’s a-hangin’ yust over de Aard-Vark’s kraal, where de Aard-Vark’s frien’s is drinkin’ dwala, an’ he hang dere till he sees Ou’ Jackalse a-lookin’ up at him. Den he drops down behind de rise a little way off, an’ dere he waits. He knows Ou’ Jackalse ’ll come sniffin’ out, tinkin’ dere’s meat dere.

“Tain’t more’n a minute ’fore here comes Ou’ Jackalse a’ right. ‘Hello! Baldy,’ ses he, ‘where’s de meat?’

“‘Well,’ ses Baldy, ‘dere ain’t no meat here yust now. But dere can be lots an’ lots of it for you ’fore long if you an’ me is frien’s dese nex’ few days.’

“Ou’ Jackalse is pretty full of dwala, an’ de dwala make him pretty full o’ feelin’ yust a’ right, so he on’y laugh an’ sit down. ‘How come dat?’ ses he.

“‘Dis way,’ ses Baldy. ‘All us birds is a-gun’ to make us a King, an’ we’ve agree’ to call you in to gi’e us sometin’ to go by to settle de one it’s to be. You’s to set sometin’ for de birds to do, an’ de one dat does it he’s to be de King. So I’s come to see you about it beforehand.’

“‘You is, hey?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, de dwala warmin’ him up good an’ happy. ‘An’ how is you come now? Is you a depitation, or is you come on your own? Is you here for all de birds or yust for one—yust for Ole Baldy?’

“Ole Baldy fair scowl to hear Ou’ Jackalse bring it out full an’ ugly like dat. But he reckon it’s de dwala doin’ it, an’ so he’ll try a bit longer. ‘Well,’ ses he, an’ he gi’en hisse’f a look up an’ down. ‘Don’t you tink I’d be a bit a’ right in de Kingin’ line myse’f? I tinks I’d be full price an’ some change over myself.’

“‘You does? Ho! you does, hey?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, an’ he drop his nose atween his paws an’ fair root it in de groun’ wid laughin’.

“You should ha’ seen Ole Baldy’s feders stand up. ‘Yes, I does,’ ses he. ‘An’ how come not, I’d like to know?’ ses he. ‘Anyhow, it’s a-gun’ to pay you a lot better to stand in wid me an’ get me King dan wid any o’ de oders. It’ll pay you a lot de best,’ ses he.

“Ou’ Jackalse ain’t got so much dwala in him but what he ketch on to dat word ‘pay’ a’ right. ‘How’s it gun’ to pay me?’ ses he.

“‘Easy,’ ses Baldy. ‘If you gets me King, den every bird dat eats meat’ll ha’ to leave you de one half of it. What price me now?’ ses he. ‘Is dere any oder bird can offer better?’

“‘Well, dat ain’t bad,’ ses Jackalse. ‘But s’posin’ I bargains wid you, den what’s de plan? I s’pose you’s made some sort o’ plan for me to work on?’

“‘Dis,’ ses Baldy. ‘When all de birds at de indaba axes you what dey’s to go by, den you answers an’ tells ’em dat de birds is got wings yust to lift ’em in de air. Well, an’ since de birds is on’y birds so’s dey can rise in de air instead o’ walkin’ on de ground, den de bird dat can do bird’s work best is de best one, an’ it stand to reason de best should be King. So let ’em all fly up, an’ de one dat flies de highest is de King—dat’s fair enough, ain’t it?’ ses he.

“‘It do soun’ a’ right,’ ses Jackalse. ‘An’ you can ax de oder birds weder it’s fair or not if you like. Anyhow, it’s a bargain so far—an’ now I’s off back to de dwala,’ and off he pop.

“Ole Baldy yust stop long enough to watch him out o’ sight. ‘I’s fix’ dat skellum dis time a’ right,’ ses he. ‘King o’ de birds, eh! See me when I’s doin’ de Kingin’. I bet I’ll make ’em all fly round a bit.’ Den off he pop too.

“In de meantime Ou’ Jackalse is a-headin’ back for de dwala, but he hadn’t got half way ’fore up yumps little Tink Tinky. ‘Mawnin’, Oom Jackalse,’ ses he, yust as smart as a new ticky.

“‘Go ’way, you spot o’ shadda!’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, in a hurry to get back to de dwala. ‘Go ’way, or I’ll blow you away wid de wind of a wink o’ my eye.’

“‘Oh, dat’s it, is it?’ ses young Tink. ‘Well, I was comin’ to see you about dis King o’ de bird business. But if dat’s de sort you is, why I reckon I’ll do it on my own, an’ den I shan’t owe nawtin’ to no such a fathead as you.’

“‘King o’ de birds,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, an’ he squot on his haunches an’ laugh till he fair wobble. ‘You!’ ses he, an’ he laugh agen till he fall on his side an’ beat de ground wid his tail. ‘Oh, do go an’ be King o’ de rest o’ de birds. Be King over Ole Baldy an’ de big White Owl an’ all dat lot.’

“‘All dat lot o’ big fatheads, like you,’ ses young Tinky, an’ he yust flick down an’ tweak a beakful o’ hair out of Ou’ Jackalse tail. ‘What price dat?’ ses he, as he fly up out o’ reach.

“Ou’ Jackalse yump up like lightnin’ struck him. ‘You young squirt!’ yell’ he. ‘I’ll gi’e you King o’ de birds if I gets hold o you.’

“‘An’ I’ll show you all about King o’ de birds ’fore I’s done wid you,’ ses Tinky. ‘You tinks you’s yust too smart for common everyday. But I’ll show you yust how smart you ain’t. You wait an’ see.’ An’ off he flick for where he seen Ole Baldy fly up. He knows Ou’ Jackalse come f’m dere too.

“Now when Ou’ Jackalse an’ Ole Baldy was a-talkin’ togeder, dey ain’t needer on ’em seen de Hokhi-Khee (dat’s de ladybird) a-sittin’ under a grass blade close by. An’ de Hokhi-Khee she on’y want to keep out o’ sight till dey’s gone, ’cause all de brown lace of her wings is all ruffle down her back, an’ it won’t lie nice an’ straight under dat yella cloak o’ hers wid de black spots. ‘Goodness gracious o’ me,’ ses she to herse’f, ‘I yust ain’t fit to be seen! I hope dese two ole buffers ’ll get away soon.’

“So she kept dat close out o’ sight dey never seen her, an’ as soon as dey’s gone she hop down an’ start to get dat lace straighten’ out an’ tucked away nice an’ neat under her cloak, an’ she’s all in a shake an’ a fluster, when down pops young Tink Tinky.

“‘Well, I yust do declare!’ ses she. ‘What do you drop down on a body like dat for? You’s got as much imperence as if you was de biggest bird, instead o’ de smallest.’

“‘All right,’ ses young Tinky. ‘I may be de littlest bird, an’ Ole Baldy may be de biggest, an’ he may a-bin here talkin’ soft to you. But I can yust dust him down any day,’ an’ you should a-seen dat young Tinky stretch-in’ out first one little wing an’ den de oder, like he’s sayin’—‘Look at dat now’.

“But de ladybird ain’t a-listenin’ to none o’ his foolishness. ‘Yes,’ ses she, ‘you ses dat now. But you wait a bit till de Aasvo’el’s King of all you birds, den you’ll ha’ to sing small enough, Mr Tink Tinky.’

“‘Ho!’ ses Tinky. ‘So Ole Baldy’s bin tellin’ you he’s gun’ to be King o’ de birds, is he? But we’ll see about dat. Some’dy else may ha’ sometin’ to say about dat.’

“‘Well, I never,’ ses de ladybird. ‘If dat ain’t yust like your imperence! P’r’aps you ’magines you’s gun’ to be King yourse’f?’

“‘Why not?’ ses he. ‘I’s as good a man as Ole Baldy any day.’

“‘You ses you is, an’ you has cheek enough to tink you is,’ ses de ladybird. ‘But wait till you comes to try. De one dat flies highest is gun’ to be King. I yust heard him settle dat wid Ou’ Jackalse. An’ now where’s you? But p’r’aps you tink you can fly higher dan de Aasvo’el—you has imperence enough.’

“‘An’ I has gumption enough too,’ ses young Tinky. ‘You yust wait an’ see if I ain’t.’

“‘I don’t care what you has if you’ll only go away out o’ dis now,’ ses de ladybird. ‘An’ don’t you come roun’ me any mo’ till you’s beat Ole Baldy flyin’ high.’

“‘Den I’ll be King,’ ses Tinky. ‘Don’t you wish I’d come if I was King?’

“‘No, I don’t,’ ses she.

“‘Den I won’t,’ ses he, an’ off he pops.

“Well, de day comes for choosin’ dis yere King, an’ all de birds dey brings Ou’ Jackalse into de indaba, an’ dey ax him what dey’s got to do to find de right one. An’ Ole Baldy look so hard at Jackalse dat he wrinkle all his head an’ half his neck, an’ Ou’ Jackalse he smile back ’fore he speak. ‘Dere’s on’y one way o’ gettin’ at it,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Birds was made wid wings so dey could get up off de earth. So if dat’s what a bird’s for, an’ if dat’s de one ting dat make him a bird, den it stand to reason de one dat can do bird work best is de best bird. If you is to have a King den, why, de best bird should be de best King, or de best King should be de best bird, whichever way you likes it. So now de one dat flies de highest—dat’s de one to be King.’

“Dere’s a lot o’ dem birds ’ud like to say a lot o’ bad words yust den. But de way Ou’ Jackalse lay de business down dey cahnt see yust where to tackle what he said. Dey all has to say, ‘A’ right!’ an’ dey all ses it, but they don’t all tink it. So dere ain’t no more said, an’ dey all lines up in a row. An dere ain’t nob’dy noticin’ dat nob’dy’s seen Young Tinky yet. But dere ain’t nob’dy troublin much about nob’dy else nohow.

“‘Is you ready?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Yes,’ ses dey. ‘Den go!’ ses he.

“Up dey goes, an’ up, an’ up, an’ up. An’ fust de partridge drops, an’ den de long-tail fink; and de Kurhaan she tink she never did hear no such foolishness nohow, so down she drop too. An’ dat way dey go on, fust one an’ den anoder droppin’ out, till last of all dere ain’t but one left—Ole Baldy.

“Ole Baldy he go up, an’ on, an’ on, an’ up, till at last he cahnt get higher; but by jimminy, he is up dere. ‘How’s dis for high?’ ses he.

“All de birds look up, an’ none of ’em cahnt say one word. ‘You’s got it,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, ‘you’s de highest.’

“‘Is he?’ squeaks a chinky little voice. ‘Is he?’ an’ dere, where dey’re all lookin’, up pops little Tinky off’n Ole Baldy’s back, where he’s bin hid in de feders widout Ole Baldy knowin’. ‘What price me now?’ ses he, an’ up he go, yards up! ‘How’s dis for higher?’ ses he.

“Ole Baldy he turn his head an’ look up. ‘Hello, you speck!’ ses he, ‘what you doin’ up dere?’

“‘Flyin’ higher’n you,’ ses Tinky. ‘Dat makes me de King.’

“‘King!’ ses Baldy. ‘If I could yust get up dere I’d King you. Come down now!’

“‘Oh, oh!’ ses Tinky. ‘So you gi’es in you can’t get up to me! Dat’s done den. I’s King a’ right,’ an’ he comes down yust as cheeky as billy-o, wid his tink, tink, tink, tinky, till he gets to de ground. Den he chucks a leg. ‘King Tinky!’ ses he. ‘Dat’s me.’

“Well, de birds dey all drop down an’ dey wait for someb’dy to say somefin’. But young Tinky he hop in front of Ou’ Jackalse an’ he stick his coat tails out. ‘Well, Oom Jackalse,’ ses he, ‘who’s de smart ’un to-day?’

“‘I wish I was one o’ de birds you’s bin foolin’,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse; ‘I’d show you which was smart.’

“Just den Ole Baldy bounce down in front of ’em. ‘Who’s King?’ ses he.

“‘De one dat went highest,’ ses Ou’ Modher Reyer, de Blue Crane.

“‘An’ dat’s me,’ ses Baldy.

“‘An’ dat’s me,’ ses Tinky, stickin’ his little wings out an’ bouncin’ hisse’f like he was mockin’ Ole Baldy.

“‘Look-a’-here,’ ses Baldy, ‘if you ses anoder word I’ll scoff you.’

“‘Will you?’ ses Young Tinky, settin’ hisse’f in front of Ole Baldy like a bantam. ‘You will, hey? Well—anoder word—dere, I’s said it.’

“Ole Baldy yust look one look at Tinky, an’ den he make one dive to scoff him, straight. But he’s dat slow an’ heavy on de ground he might as well try to catch a flea on a blanket; an’ dere’s him a-divin’ an’ a-floppin’, an’ dere’s Young Tink a-flickin’ an’ a hoppin’, till Ole Baldy fair boil over an’ stand still. ‘Birds!’ ses he, ‘is we gun’ to stand dis an’ have dis little squirt say he’s King over us?’

“‘You bet we ain’t,’ ses de White Owl. ‘Is I de King den?’ ses Baldy nex’, lookin’ at ’em all roun’.

“But dey all want to say sometin’ to dat, ’cause if dey cahnt be King deirselves dey don’t want anyb’dy else to be it. ‘No,’ ses dey. ‘It was to be de one went highest, an’ we all hear you say to Tinky what you’d do if on’y you could get up at him.’

“‘Den what’s a-gun’ to be done?’ ses Baldy, as mad’s a scorpion.

“‘Well, we’ll ha’ to study dat out,’ ses dey. ‘We’ll ha’ to hold a indaba an’ see what we’ll do about it.’

“Well, dey ketches Young Tinky an’ dey takes him over and puts him into a big Aard-Vark hole. ‘Who’ll we put to watch him now?’ ses dey.

“‘Put de White Owl,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse; ‘he’s got de biggest eyes an’ de widest open.’

“So dey put de White Owl to guard de hole, an’ dey all goes back to hold a indaba.

“‘Why, dis is yust a fine place, it’s so reg’lar nice an’ shady,’ ses Young Tinky to de White Owl. ‘I’s gun’ to have a look for a place to be comfy in.’

“‘Do,’ ses de White Owl. ‘Den you won’t bodder me.’

“But what Tinky’s a lookin’ for is a place to get out at, an’ he look, an’ he look, but dere ain’t no sich a place. ‘I ’specs I’ll ha’ to do sometin’ pretty soon if I’s gun’ to keep dis side o’ trouble,’ ses he to hisse’f.

“Well, dere’s on’y one way out o’ de hole, an’ dat’s de way he come in at, an’ dere’s de White Owl standin’ at it wid his tail dis way, an’ a-starin’ out across de veldt to where de indaba’s goin’ on. Den it strike Tinky what he’ll do. ‘Allah Crachty! I knows what. Wait now,’ ses he to hisse’f.

“So he goes to work, an’ he take some dirt, an’ he wet it an’ he work till he’s made a mud mouse. You should ha’ seen darie mouse. If any mouse ’ad a-seen it he’d a-tink it was his grandaddy, it look such a whoppin’ ole mouse. It fair tickle young Tinky so much when he’d finis’ it dat he hatto yust stop an’ laugh.

“Den he go to de hole an’ he stick dat mouse out slow on one side o’ de White Owl till it yust come into de tail of his left eye, an’ afore you can ketch your breaf Ole Owl make a lightnin’ of a strike at it—biff!

“Well, he ain’t made sich a mighty ole strike since he was a young fella, an’ he strike dat hard an’ he strike dat true, dat he biff his beak right troo de mouse, so dat de mud bung up his two eyes an’ chock up his froat, an’ you fair never did see no sich a splosh an’ sich a splutter in your time. ‘Mak’ los’!’ screech he, an’ it sound like a bushman on de mad. ‘Mak’ los’!’ But de mud mouse ain’t a-sayin’ a word, not a word; an’ Young Tink Tinky’s yust a-gettin’ out o’ dat at de rate of half-a-mile in a hunder’ yards—on’y de White Owl ain’t knowin’ nawtin’ about dat.

“Well, Ole Owl he hadn’t more’n got de mud outen his eyes ’fore de indaba’s finis’, an’ here comes all de birds. ‘Where’s dat Tink Tinky?’ ses dey. ‘Fetch him out!’

“‘He’s in dere a’ right,’ ses de Owl. ‘What’s you all decided on?’

“‘Well,’ ses dey, ‘by de law we cahnt yust say. Ole Baldy ain’t King, ’cause he said he couldn’t get up to Tinky. An’ as to Tinky, he ain’t King ’cause he ain’t big enough nohow. But we’s a-goin’ to hang’ him, so dere won’t be no mistake about him not bein’ King. Trot him out den.’

“‘You better trot him out yourse’f,’ ses Ole Owl. ‘My eyes is yust dat full o’ dirt I cahnt see.’

“Well, de Sec’etary Bird he cock his eye into darie hole, like a ole crow squintin’ down a marrow bone. ‘Come out o’ dat an’ be hanged,’ ses he. ‘Make hurry now! We ain’t a-gun’ to wait all day for a speck like you.’

“But dere ain’t no Tinky come out. ‘Dat’s funny he don’t come out when I shout,’ ses Ole Sec.

“Well, de birds dey ses dey ain’t got no more time to fool about. ‘Come on, Ole Owl,’ ses dey. ‘You’s lookin’ after him anyhow. In you pops, den, an’ outs him.’

“‘A’ right.’ In pops Ole Owl, an’ out don’t pop no Tinky. ‘By gum!’ ses all de birds.

“Ole Owl in de hole he look an’ he crook, an’ he glint, an’ he squint, but he don’t find no Tinky. ‘Dat’s mighty funny,’ ses he, comin’ out. ‘I seen you all shove him in here, an’ I ain’t seen him come out; but he ain’t dere now. He must ha’ spooked!’

“‘Oh, he’s spooked, is he?’ ses all de birds, tearin’ mad. ‘Well, we’ll yust make spook o’ you,’ ses dey, an’ dey make a dive for him like one man.

“Ole Owl he yust glint one glance at de lot, an’ den he turn an’ he fair make a head fust for it into dat hole agen, an’ dat’s de one ting saved him. De birds dey cahnt get at him in dere on’y one at a time, an’ dere ain’t any one o’ ’em feel like facin’ dat ole hook of a beak on his lonesome. So dere dey sits outside de hole, waitin’ for him to come out. An’ dere he sits inside de hole, waitin’ for dem to come in; an’ so dere ain’t needer in nor out, but dey bofe sits an’ waits.

“Ses all de birds outside—‘If you don’t come out an’ let us get at you, we’ll yust about dance on you’ chest’.

“Ses Ole Owl inside, ses he—not a word! not a sound!

“Well, dey wait all day, an’ dey wait all afternoon, but Ole Owl ain’t a-comin’ out, an’ dey ain’t a-goin’ in. Den it drop sundown, an’ de birds dey ha’ to fly som’eres to sleep. Dey look at one anoder. ‘Yust wait till to-morrow, dat’s all!’ ses dey, an’ off dey fly to deir sleepin’ places.

“When dey’s gone Ole Owl comes out. ‘I reckon I’ll hatto get as much to eat as I can to-night,’ ses he, ‘an’ den hide some place to-morrow, so dey won’t see me.’

“An’ dat’s yust what he done, an’ yust what he’s hatto do ever since—hunt all night an’ hide all day, for fear de rest o’ de birds see him an’ ketch him, if he move about in de daylight.

“So now you knows how it come dat de Ole White Owl can on’y fly at night,” ended Old Hendrik.

“Oh!” said little Annie.

Chapter Nine.

Why Old Jackal slinks his Tail.

The little girl was full of excitement. Driving home with her mother from the “dorp,” she had seen Ou’ Jackalse himself—Mynheer Jackal—slinking across the veldt, and all the tales Old Hendrik had told her about him crowded her mind as she watched him. She could hardly contain herself now, as she stood before the old Hottentot pouring forth the story. There was only one regret in it—“He must have been in some trouble, Ou’ Ta’,” said she; “’cause all the time I watched him his tail was right down. I watched and I watched to see if it wouldn’t stick up, ’cause then I’d know he was thinking of a plan; but it never did.”

Old Hendrik smiled. “So his tail was a-hangin’ an’ a-slinkin’ ahter him, was it? An’ didn’t he look back at you over his shoulder as he went?”

“Yes, he did,” answered Annie, still more eager at finding how well Old Hendrik knew the ways and doings of Ou’ Jackalse. “I kept hoping he was thinking of fetching Ou’ Wolf to work for us, then I could tell Ou’ Wolf not to trust him any more, no matter what he said.”

Old Hendrik’s delight bubbled into a jeering shake of the head and a half laugh of derision over the subject as he repeated the name—“Ou’ Jackalse, hey! Ou’ Jackalse!”

“But you needn’t to be feared he’s a-gun’ to get Ou’ Wolf into much more trouble nowadays, Ainkye,” went on the old Hottentot. “He ain’t a-gun’ to get de best o’ so many more folks, not since he went to get even wid Young Tink Tinky, de littlest bird on de veldt. Little Missis Tinky got Ou’ Mammy Reyer, de Crane, to he’p her, an’ dat made all de difference. You seen how he slunk his tail along behind him?—well, dat’s why. He’s a-tinkin’ o’ what happened den, an’ he looked at you over his shoulder, wonderin’ all de time weder you’d heerd de tale or not. It happened dis while or two back, an’ since den he ain’t bin near so sa’cy as he used to was.”

“Oh, poor Old Jackalse!” cried the little girl, “what did happen? Do tell me, Ou’ Ta’.”

“Well,” began Old Hendrik, “if ever you sees Ou’ Jackalse tryin’ to fool Ou’ Wolf into trouble agen, you don’t ha’ to say on’y yust one ting. You’s on’y got to ask him how he likes eggs, an’ den see if he don’t turn round an fair slink off wid his tail draggin’. Dat’s where de trouble come in, he would go ahter eggs.

“You ’members me tellin’ you how Young Tink Tinky bested Ou’ Jackalse when de birds wantto choose a King for demselves? Well, Ou’ Jackalse he never forgot dat, an’ he was al’ays a-studyin’ how he’s a-gun’ to get even, but he couldn’t find de way nohow till at last he sees Missis Tinky a-sittin’ on de nest, an’ he knows by dat dere’s eggs dere. ‘Dat’s me,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse. ‘Eggs is de ting I does like—an’ here’s some. Watch me teach dat Young Tinky dis time.’

“Now dere was a t’orn-tree like dis,”—here Old Hendrik indicated the mimosa under which he sat,—“an’ dis t’orn-tree was a-growin close beside de river, an’ a willow-tree dat was bigger yet was a-hangin’ over de t’orn. In dat t’orn-tree Young Tinky build his nest, an ahter de eggs is all laid, an’ his missis is well an’ comfy settled into sittin’ on ’em, Young Tink he offs to look for scoff for hisse’f an’ de missis. Den’s de time when Ou’ Jackalse is a-watchin’ him, an’ as soon as he’s gone, here comes Jackalse to de bottom o’ de t’orn-tree an’ begins to scratch on de bark—scratch! scratch! scratch!

“Little Missis Tinky she look down out o de nest. ‘Who’s dere?’ ses she.

“‘Me,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“‘What you want?’ ses Missis Tinky, all in a tremble.

“‘Want dem eggs you got,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, wid his hair up. ‘You better be sharp about it too.’

“‘Well, you ain’t a-gun’ to get ’em,’ flutter Missis Tinky; but she’s yust dat frighten’ she cahnt har’ly speak.

“‘Please yourse’f,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse; ‘but if you don’t drop me down a egg dis minute, den I’s a-comin’ up, an’ if I once does come up dere, den I’s a-gun’ to eat you first as well as de eggs. Make a hurry now—drop one!’

“Little missis she get sich a scrik when Ou’ Jackalse ses he’s a-comin’ up dat she yust go all a-flitty flutty, an’ dere ain’t no two ways about it, she hatto drop him one egg to save de rest. So out she pull it an down she drop it, right into Ou’ Jackalse mouf, where he stand on his back legs wid his front feets agen de tree. An’ as soon as he feel it in his mouf he yust gullup it down, an’ off he go for dat day. ‘I’ll make dis ting last a bit,’ ses he to hisse’f.

“Well, little Missis Tinky she’s in dat terr’ble way she cahnt har’ly sit still till Young Tinky comes home, an’ as soon’s ever she sees him she burst out a-cryin’ an’ a-tellin’ him what happened.

“‘What! An’ you b’lieve sich a fool tale as dat about him climbin’ de tree,’ ses Young Tinky, fair fightin’ mad at de way he lose dat egg. ‘He cahnt climb dis tree, not if he break his neck a-tryin’.’

“But Young Tinky he sees it ain’t no use; it ain’t a-gun’ to he’p his missis for him to shout an’ talk about it. ‘Never you mind dis time, little missis,’ ses he. ‘To-morrow you can go an’ look for de scoff, an’ I stay at home an’ wait for Ou’ Jackalse. I’ll show him what’s what dis time, too,’ ses he. An’ his missis she stop cryin’, dough she cahnt stop lookin’ where dat one egg ought to be.

“Well, de nex’ day Young Tinky he stop at home an’ sit on de nest while his missis went for scoff, an’ it ain’t but a while or two ’fore along comes Ou’ Jackalse to de foot o’ de tree-scratch! scratch! scratch!

“Young Tinky he ain’t a-lettin’ Ou’ Jackalse see who’s at home to-day; he yust on’y slant half o’ one eye down at him. ‘Who’s dere?’ ses he.

“‘Me,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“‘An’ what you want scratchin’ dere?’ ses Tinky.

“‘Anoder egg, an’ you best be sharp about it,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“‘Well, you’s yust about got all de eggs you’s a-gun’ to get here,’ ses Tinky, stickin’ all his head an’ shoulders out for Jackalse to have a good look at him.

“‘Oh, it’s you, is it?’ ses Ou’ Jackalse, showin’ his teef. ‘Well, if you won’t drop darie egg down in one minute, den I’s a-comin’ up an’ eat you all up—bones, beak an’ feders!’

“‘Come up den,’ ses Young Tinky, hoppin’ out onto a branch. ‘Yust you come up here if you darse, you hairy skellum you,’ squeak Tinky, hoppin’ up an’ down an’ flickin’ his wings like he’s fair a-gun’ to peck de eyes out o’ de hull fam’ly o’ de Jackalses. ‘You try it on, Mister Ou’ Jackalse, an’ see what I’s do to you!’ an’ Tinky swells hisse’f into a reg’lar ole rage as he tink o’ dat egg yestiday an’ his little missis frighten’ to deaf nearly.

“Dat make Ou’ Jackalse in sich a wax dat he spurt out de word he didn’t mean to. ‘I on’y wish I could yust come up dis tree to you. I’d scoff you down in yust one gullup an’ your eggses ahter you,’ ses he, a-rampin’ an’ a-tearin’.

“‘You ses dat,’ squeak young Tinky, ‘but I knows better. It’s not you cahnt—it’s you dahnt. But I’ll teach you to frighten poor little mammickies into givin’ you deir eggses, you skellum! skellum! skellum!’

“Ou’ Jackalse he get dat mad, a-snappin’ an’ a-snarlin’ while he listen, dat he fair turn away an’ slant out o’ dat, an’ Young Tinky is yust dat conceited of hisse’f he cahnt har’ly wait till his missis comes home ’fore he begin a-tellin’ her dat’s de way she ought to done yestiday. An’ Missis Tink she listen an’ she tink she’ll do de same herse’f now, if ever Ou’ Jackalse trouble her agen.

“So de nex’ day Young Tinky he go ahter de scoff, an’ his missis she sit on de eggs, tinkin’ it’s all right now. But Ou’ Jackalse he’d bin a-watchin’, an’ he know’s who’s a-gone an who’s a-stop at home, an in about no time he’s at de foot o’ darie t’orn-tree agen, an’ de same ole scratch! scratch! scratch! at it.

“Little Missis Tink she stick her head out an’ she start to tell him to get out o’ dat, in de biggest voice she’s got. But she hadn’t more dan got out de first two words dan she see his teef where he bare ’em all round, white an’ yammerin’, an’ he look dat savage an’ murderin’ dat de rest o’ de words stuck fast in her froat, an’ she fair chattered wid fright.

“‘Down wi’ darie egg, else I’ll come an’ tear you into smitchies,’ ses Ou’ Jackalse.

“Missis Tinky nearly drop out o’ de nest wid de scrik she got; but she tink o’ what Tink Tinky say, an’ she squeak it out. ‘You cahnt come up dis tree if you try,’ ses she.

“‘Cahnt I?’ ses he, all hair an’ spiky. ‘Yust see me half try!’ an’ he gives de biggest yump he ever make in his life, an’ it scrape him a couple o’ yards up de tree stem.

“Little missis she fair gi’en one big squawk an’ tink she’s all gone—eggs, nest, an’ all. ‘Is you a-gun’ to drop me dat egg?’ shouts Ou’ Jackalse.

“‘Yes, yes. Here it is! Take it, take it!’ squeak de little missis, an’ she drop out de one egg to him.

“Ou’ Jackalse he ketch dat egg an’ he gulp it down an’ off he go agen. ‘Nex’ time I come you better drop one quicker. I ain’t a-gun’ to ax twice no more,’ ses he.

“Well, as soon as he go, little Missis Tinky she cry like her heart break, an’ she cahnt sit dere on de dest at all. Anyhow she’s feared to wait till Young Tinky comes home, ’cause she don’t know what he’ll say when he finds anoder egg gone, an’ she’s in dat misery dat she don’t know what to do. Den she tink of her Aunt, Ou’ Reyer, de Blue Crane, an’ she fly off to her where she’s a-fis’in’ in de reeds, an’ she yust up an’ tell her de hull tale of it.

“‘So darie Ou’ Jackalse’s up to his tricks agen, is he?’ ses Ou’ Reyer. ‘Well, he’s meddle wid de birds before, an’ dis time we’ll teach him to don’t do it no more. Now you yust go home an’ sit on de nest agen, an’ I’ll come in a minute or two—den well be ready for him.’

“Little missis she go back, an’ in a minute or two Ou’ Reyer follows, an’ she hide herse’f in de top o’ de willow-tree over de nest. ‘Now for Ou’ Jackalse,’ ses she.

“Well, it ain’t but a little while rill here come Ou’ Jackalse agen, wid de same ole scratch! scratch! scratch! an’ de same ole terr’fyin’ words—‘Drop me down anoder egg or I’ll come up an’ eat you,’ ses he.

“‘Make like you’s a-gun’ to drop him one,’ whispers Ou’ Reyer; an’ little Missis Tinky she make like she’s a-doin’ it.

“Ou’ Jackalse he rise up on his hine legs, an’ he put his paws agen de tree, an’ he open his mouf an’ shut his eyes, an’ he fair feel de taste o’ dat egg a’ready. An’ den, yust den, Ou’ Reyer she lean out over Missis Tinky an’ she open her big long beak, an’, swock! she drop a great big bull-frog right into Ou’ Jackalse’s froat.

“Wow! but dere was a chokin’ an’ a squeal-in’ den. Ou’ Jackalse he yump an’ he roll, an’ he fling hisse’f along de ground a-tryin’ to cough up darie fat bull-frog, an’ darie ou’ bull-frog he puff an’ he wiggle an’ he slip down an’ down till dere he is in Ou’ Jackalse’s tummy, a-hoppin’ an’ a-floppin’ an’ a-croakin’ an’ a-gloakin’ till Ou’ Jackalse is yust dat scared dat he light out f’m dere plump across de scenery. An’ he go dat fast he yust hit de high places as he went an’ never touch’ de low. I tell you Ou’ Jackalse was scared.

“He don’t stop nudder till he’s yust dat puffed out dat he roll over an’ over like a shot hare, an’ he’s so long a-gettin’ over it dat he forget what day it happen in. Ever since den, too, de birds all click deir beakses at him, an’ chatter at him, an’ ax him how he likes Tinky eggs; an’ dat’s what make him so shamed he ain’t never cocked up his tail no more—he yust cahnt do it.”

“And serve him right,” cried all the children in chorus.

Old Hendrik only shook his head.

Chapter Ten.

Why Little Hare has such a Short Tail.

Old Hendrik was standing by the corner of the house, milking pail in hand, watching the slow procession of the cows homeward from the veldt. The calves in the kraal clamoured insistently to hasten their mammies home; those mammies answered now and then with a patient bellow of assurance as they continued their placid pace, and Old Hendrik seemed to be as vacant of thought or stir as they. But when little Annie came strolling out to enjoy the never-staling delight of seeing the headlong rush of each calf in turn to its mammy, the old Hottentot looked down at her and begun without further warning. “Ole King Lion had five cows, an’ t’ree o’ dem was wild an’ wand’ry.”

“Oh!” cried Annie, “I never heard of that. And what did he do with them, Ou’ Ta’?”

“Why, milk ’em, o’ course,” returned Old Hendrik. “What else? An’ some o’ de milk his ole missis an’ de kleinkies drink, an’ some he drink hisse’f. De rest he make de butter wid to grease all deir ole noses.”

“Oh, how funny!” cried Annie in huge delight. “And did he mind them himself?”

“Course not!” retorted Hendrik, a little scornfully. “Ain’t he a king? Kings don’t mind cows. Not him. He yust make all de animals try deir turn at it, but dese t’ree wand’ry ones dey’d keep gettin’ away, an’ den de animal dat come home wid dem t’ree missin’—well, he’d be a-missin’ too, an’ Ole King Lion he’d be dat much fatter.

“Well, it come Little Hahsie’s turn at last—Klein Hahsie, dat you call Little Hare, dat skellum Little Hare—but he yust prance out behind dem cows in de mawnin’ wid a high ole hop an a skip. He’d show ’em about mindin’ five bally ole cows, he would, ses he. He sticks a green twig in his mouf, an’ he biffs his ole hat down over his eyes, an’ he gets dem cows down in a hook o’ de river an’ squots down on a little koppiekie to watch ’em, all nice an’ all right. ‘Mind five ole cows,’ ses he; ‘by de jimminy, gi’e me sometin’ easier—if dere is any.’

“Well, it did look all serene-o, wid him dis side of ’em an’ de river bent all round ’em on de oder sides, an’ plenty o’ grass an’ water an’ nice trees about. ‘Sho,’ ses he, ‘dem cows stray off? Dey’s got mo’ sense,’ ses he.

“It was yust sich a easy yob dat in a while his eye ’gun a-wanderin’ round to see what else dere is dere besides de cows an’ de rest of it. An’ fust he sees a little bushiekie, wid green leaves like he swears he ain’t seen afore, or leastways he ain’t ’xamined much; so o’ course he hops over to dat an’ pretends to tas’e it, an feel it, an’ turn it over gen’ally.

“Den he sees de blesbuck wanderin’ past, wid de teenty little buckies whimperin’ an’ nosin’ ahter deir mammies, an’ fust he squot an’ watch ’em, an’ den he get to feelin’ cussed, an’ he fair hop round ’em to scare ’em an’ make ’em flurry, till deir mammies turn round an’ chase him out o’ dat. Next he slant his eye at de spruit an’ tinks he’ll yust sa’nter down an’ frow stones at Ou’ Sculpat, de Tortoise, an’ ax him what’s his latest time for a mile wid a flyin’ start. Den he can hear Ou’ Sculpat use some rocky ole words.

“But when he gets down to de spruit Ou’ Sculpat ain’t dere at all, an’ dat make him hoppin’ mad. He’s yust dat mad he chucks stones into de water an’ savages de reeds for anoder five minutes on end. Den he looks up an’ dere he sees de honey-bird a-whickerin’ about. ‘Whatto!’ ses Hahsie. ‘Dere’s honey somewheres. Here’s on to it like one man.’