“We are carrying the ‘word’ of the Great Chief,” he said, making a step forward. “We must not delay.”
“What is the matter with your relation?” asked one of the five, Xuvani having thus categorised his charge for the time being.
“He has been shot through the cheeks, and the cold must be kept from the wound,” was the reply. By nature an intensely suspicious animal, the Kafir was peering distrustfully at Claverton, whose bronzed complexion, however, aided by the shade of the ragged hat, looked as dark as their own in the incipient dawn. But the very presence of Xuvani, whose valour and fidelity had been abundantly proved, disarmed further suspicion, and, without another word, the strangers disappeared as quickly as they had come, and the pair resumed their way.
“Do you think they will have discovered the joke, Xuvani?” asked Claverton at length, referring to his escape.
“The rain is good; it will have washed out our tracks,” replied the other. “It is unfortunate that we should have met with those men just now.”
“Did they suspect?”
Xuvani shrugged his shoulders. “In war-time every one suspects.”
“They’ll be roasting that poor devil of a preacher instead of me, I’m afraid, up yonder.”
But Xuvani was not of this opinion. The councillors always liked to stand well with the missionaries, he said, and this one would probably be released. Besides, there were plenty of mission-station men among the Gaikas—Dukwana, for instance, who was a real preacher himself, and several others—who would be sure to find an opportunity of letting the missionary go; which piece of information would have set at rest any misgivings Claverton might have had upon the subject, though, in truth, he had none, simply not having given it a thought until that moment. As for Xuvani, that unregenerate old heathen, though he understood and practised the virtue of gratitude so well, yet it was patent that the sacrifice of a hecatomb of missionaries would have inspired him with no compunction whatever.
“Do you remember giving water to a wounded man after the burning of the Great Place in Gcaleka-land, and watching over him while the Fingo dogs went by?” suddenly inquired Xuvani.