“An’ Hahsie he ses on’y one word too—‘Oh!’ ses he, an’ he make a fifty mile dive for darie Aard-Vark hole, an’ he drops down it out o’ sight yust as Ole King Lion claws de tail off him, all but de stump.
“‘By jimminy! dat skellum!’ ses King Lion outside.
“‘Allah Crachty! dat close shave!’ ses Hahsie inside.
“Well, King Lion he waited an’ he waited, but it wahnt no use at all, for Klein Hahsie he didn’t wait two shakes, but he sets to work an’ digs out at anoder place, a long way off in de mealies, an’ pops off over de sky line dat way. But he’s mighty careful to keep out of Ole King Lion’s way since den, for he got sich a scare dat time dat he hain’t never manage to grow a long tail agen, like he used to have afore.
“An’ if you want’s to know yust what a hairy ole scare he got,” continued Old Hendrik, “you notice him nex’ time you sees him. You’ll see a white patch on his tail—dat’s gone white wid de fright he got when de great big claws was a-grabbin’ de rest o’ de tail off. But here’s de cows, an’ I’s got to get to de milkin’,” broke off the old story-teller, swinging his pail and starting for the kraal.
Chapter Eleven.
The Bargain for the Little Silver Fishes.
The youngest of the three children had brought in a tortoise from the spruit behind the house, and was half-indignant and half-amused at the stolid refusal of Mr Tortoise to put out his head in response to any stroking of his shell, or to any shaking or bumping on the ground. “He’s just that cunning, Ou’ Ta’, I never did see anything like him,” cried the little boy to Old Hendrik.