“How are you, sir. Delighted to see you again,” went on Peters. “We came out to find Lamont. Swore we wouldn’t go back till we had. Isn’t that so, boys?”
“Rather,” answered the others, who had come up. “How are you, captain,” and “Glad to see you safe and sound,” and a dozen other hearty greetings were showered upon him.
“Peters,” he said in a low tone, drawing him apart. “What news?—You know.”
“I can’t give you any, Lamont, beyond the day you disappeared. You see we came straight away from Kezane. Miss Vidal was marvellously plucky, but not a man jack of us but could see she was half broken-hearted. She wanted to come with us.”
“Did she?” said the other huskily.
“Didn’t she! Well, of course that wouldn’t do. She went back to Gandela.”
“And I’m going to do ditto—to-night. You can raise me a horse, Peters?”
“No, I can’t; and I wouldn’t if I could. By the way, have you any idea where you are?”
“Now I think of it, I haven’t.”
“Eastern end of the Matopo. So you see the sort of country—and the extent of it—between this and Gandela. And it just swarms with rebels.”