A Frontier Mystery Part 26

"It's Arlo right enough," said Falkner, patting the dog, who never ceased whimpering and licking his hands. "The question is how did he get here? Eh?"

"Stolen most likely, but it couldn't have been long ago, for Miss Sewin made no mention of his loss in her letter to me--and it's hardly likely she'd have forgotten to mention such an important event if it had happened then."

Somehow I could not help connecting Ukozi with this, and felt vaguely uneasy. What had been happening of late? Had the dog been stolen with any deeper motive than his own intrinsic value--to get him out of the way for instance and clear the road for the carrying out of some sinister and mysterious scheme on the part of the witch doctor?

"Of course," a.s.sented Falkner, "we'll take him home with us now, at all events. What a devilish lucky thing I happened to look back and see him."

"Yes, and what a devilish lucky thing you happened to look wrong and miss him," I answered, for I own to a feeling of petty jealousy that he should be in a position to claim the credit of having found the dog.

"Oh-ah! But a miss is as good as a mile," he said, with a hoa.r.s.e laugh.

"By Jove, but won't Aida be glad when I bring him back to her. Won't she just?"

"I should think so. Well we'll have to keep a bright look-out on him till we get home."

"How the deuce they managed to steal him beats me, I own," went on Falkner. "Arlo was the very devil where n.i.g.g.e.rs are concerned. Won't let one of 'em come within fifty yards of him."

This would have puzzled me too, but for what Aida's letter had told me-- as well as for what I had witnessed myself up at the waterhole. There was at any rate one "n.i.g.g.e.r" of which the above held not good. More than ever did I connect Ukozi with the matter.

"Well, we've got him back," I said, "and it'll be our own fault if we don't keep him."

The dog trotted along contentedly behind our horses, wagging his tail in recognition if we spoke a word or two to him. The waggons were outspanning for the night when we reached them--according to instructions, but Arlo went straight up to Tom, whom of course he knew fairly well, wagging his tail, in a sort of "how-d'you-do" manner. He condescended likewise to approve of Jan Boom, who being a Xosa was, of course, a sworn dog fancier, but the others he just tolerated.

We inspanned before daylight, intending to make a long trek, and that evening to cross the Blood River and outspan for the night on the other side. In the then state of the border I should not be sorry to be out of the Zulu country. The trip had not been a signal success, and I began to think of it as possibly the last I should make. I thought too, of other possibilities, even as I had thought when taking my midnight up and down walk beneath the stars--a custom I had before turning in, when the weather permitted, as it generally did. The country was spa.r.s.ely inhabited, as I have said, and beyond pa.s.sing three or four small kraals we saw n.o.body.

We had started upon our afternoon trek. In another hour we should strike the drift and have crossed the border. Then one of the boys Muntisi had given me to drive the cattle came up with the pleasant news that a large body of men, armed too, was coming rapidly on behind, on our track.

I don't know why this should have caused me uneasiness yet it did. No war had broken out as yet--this I had ascertained from such Zulus as we had fallen in with on the way. I gave orders to push on the waggons, and the cattle. Then getting out a powerful binocular I rode up to a point whence I knew I could command a considerable sweep.

The ground was open on all sides, a thin thread of mimosa along some slight depression being the only sort of cover it afforded. Cresting a rise about three miles distant I made out a dark ma.s.s moving forward along our track, and that at a rapid rate.

At any other time this would have caused me little if any anxiety, but now we had had bother enough in all conscience. I didn't want any more of it, but that the crowd behind was in pursuit of us there was no room for doubt. It was an armed band, for by the aid of the gla.s.ses I could make out the glint of a.s.segais and the war shields that were carried.

I returned to the waggons but saw that the pace was as good as the oxen could be put to. The cattle were ahead, going well, but the drift was a good deal further on than I should have wished it to be. Of course there was no physically defensive advantage on the other side over this one, still a boundary is a great moral force; certainly was then while the boundary dispute was awaiting the award of the commission.

"We'll get out the rifles and cartridges, Sewin," I said--"and have them handy, but we won't show them. Also sling on your revolver, on the same terms. There's a crowd coming on fast on our track--what the deuce for I can't make out. Still it's as well to be prepared for emergencies."

"Oh rather," he a.s.sented, brisking up at the prospect of a row. "I think it's about time we read Mr Zulu a lesson."

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

A SOLOMON--IN THE ZULU.

Suddenly Arlo, who had been trotting along placidly beside the waggons stopped short, looking backward, and emitting low growls, which soon changed to a deep-toned, booming bark. We followed his glance. The Zulus were on the crest of the ridge about half a mile behind. I at once gave orders to the drivers to resume their normal pace. Further flight--as flight--was useless and impolitic.

"Put the dog into the tent waggon and tie him there," I said to Falkner.

"He knows you better than he does me, and might give me trouble. We don't want him damaged at any rate."

Even Falkner found it by no means easy to work his will with the now infuriated animal, which with hackles erect was facing in the direction of the impending aggression, making the air resound with his roaring bark; and only he managed it by his characteristically drastic methods in the shape of a double _reim_ well laid on. As it was I thought the dog would have pinned him. However he managed to get him into the tent waggon and securely tied. Hardly had he rejoined me when the whole crowd was upon us, shouting and roaring as they surrounded the waggons, bringing them to a standstill.

"I see you!" I said, coldly sarcastic. "Well, and what is it you want now?"

For I had recognised several who had taken part in the former riot, what time Dolf Norbury had appeared upon the scene.

"Want? What we want is the dog--the white dog," came the reply. "The dog which you have stolen, Abelungu."

"The white dog. The dog which we have stolen," I repeated sarcastically. "But the dog belongs to our people on the other side-- and we are taking him back. If he has been stolen it is from them."

"From them. Ha! That is a lie, Umlungu. Give us the dog, or we will take him and everything you have got besides."

"I think not," I said. "But as I cannot talk with a number at once, I must talk with one. Where is that one?"

The clamour redoubled but of it I took no notice. I filled my pipe deliberately, and handed the pouch to Falkner.

"What are they saying?" he asked. I told him.

"Well, we ain't going to give up the dog," he said. "I'll see them d.a.m.ned first," and in his excitement he appended a great deal more that it is not expedient to reproduce.

"I'm with you there," I said. "And now," relapsing into the vernacular, as a ringed man came forward--he was an evil-looking rascal, and I recognised him as having been among those who had troubled us before.

"And now to begin with--who claims him?"

"Udolfu."

"Udolfu? Well how long has he had him, and where did he get him?"

"That is nothing to you, Umlungu. He is Udolfu's dog, and we are come for him. So give him to us."

"Do you think you could take him yourselves and alive?" I said banteringly, for the savage and frenzied barks of Arlo within the waggon pretty well drowned our talk.

"We will take him, I say. Bring him out."

"Bring him out--bring him out," roared the crowd, brandishing a.s.segais and rapping their shields, in an indescribable clamour.

"_Hau_! _Umfane_! I will cut thee into little pieces," cried one fellow, seizing my boy Tom by the throat and brandishing a big a.s.segai as though he would rip him up.

"Have done!" I said pulling my revolver and covering the savage. "See.

We hold plenty of lives here."

Falkner too had drawn his and was eagerly expecting the word from me to let go.

"Hold!" roared the spokesman, in such wise as to cause the aggressive one to fall back. "Now, Umlungu, give us the dog."

"First of all," I said, "if the dog belongs to Udolfu, why is not Udolfu here himself to claim him? Is he afraid?"

"He is not afraid, Umlungu," answered the man, with a wave of the hand.

"For--here he is."

A man on horseback came riding furiously up. With him were a lot more armed Zulus running hard to keep pace with him. In a twinkling I recognised we were in a hard tight place, for the number around us already I estimated at a couple of hundred. He was armed this time, for he carried a rifle and I could see a business-like six-shooter peeping out of a side pocket. It was our old friend, Dolf Norbury.