‘If any help were required, we would certainly give it to Steve. He is a man. You are a cowardly renegade. I would be ashamed of you, if you really were an Englishman.’
‘Thank God there are very few Afrikanders such as these two,’ said Steve. ‘It would be a bad lookout for us if there were many such.’
‘You are right, Steve,’ said Harrison. ‘They are about the only two I have ever met. I wish I had the privilege to be a born Afrikander. I would not thus turn renegade, but would be only too happy to fight for my country; and, by God, if this is true about Jameson, I will fight for them. If Englishmen can act as treacherously as this, then I shall disown my own country and become a true citizen of this, my adopted country; that, at least, would not be turning renegade, for I should be fighting for the country I live in.’
‘And so say I, too,’ said Keith.
Nande, seeing how the land lay, and the mistake he had made when he expected to be supported by the young Englishmen, backed out, and retreated behind his counter.
The party now left, and returned to their camp with Steve’s cousin slinking on behind them. He kept out of Steve’s way for the rest of the evening, as he saw that he was in the minority now, and that was not a rôle he delighted in playing.
CHAPTER XI
NEWS OF AN UNEXPECTED INVASION AND BREAK UP OF THE FISHING PARTY
The next day fishing was resumed. Steve did not attach much credence to Nande’s story of Jameson’s invasion, so he was not much disturbed about it. He thought he had plenty of time to enjoy his little holiday and to be back home by the 6th January, when he would be able to watch events and be at hand in case his services were needed to defend his country.
What a surprise awaited him!