“For God’s sake, stop that!” growled Webster.
Hume whistled the louder.
Webster gave one fierce look towards his companion, then strode ahead, but presently faced round.
“Look here, Hume,” he cried, “what is the meaning of this?”
“Go on,” said Hume, catching his friend by the arm. “When I went to get the lantern I fancied I saw the figure of a man disappear from the far side of the waggon. It is probably one of our boys returning for more loot; light the lantern now, and keep on down the road, making as much noise as you can, while I lie in wait for him.”
“Don’t let him escape,” said Webster, with great excitement. “Wouldn’t it be better if we both went after him?”
“No; leave him to me.”
Webster went away down the road, swinging his lantern, and making vain attempts to sing, while Hume crouched down to the ground for some minutes before beginning his stealthy advance towards the waggon, whose position he guessed. When at last he caught the faint gleam of the white canvas he slowly circled round, and then stopped to listen. To his great relief he heard someone at work in the waggon, turning over the goods, and carefully he crept forward till he reached the desselboom, where he could hear the exclamations of the man inside as he groped among the packages. The echo of Webster’s song—which had come fitfully—ceased, and the man, clicking his tongue, jumped to the ground, stood listening a moment, then went round to the fire, where he could be heard blowing at a coal. Hume slipped round the waggon, saw a dark figure crouching at the fire, the glow of the coal as he blew on it throwing out his round head, noiselessly stepped forward, then flung himself on the Kaffir, burying his face in the pile of ashes. There was a smothered cry, a fierce struggle, and Hume dragged the man to the desselboom and bound him fast with a rheim.
Then he hollowed his hands and sent a shout ringing through the night to recall Webster, having first satisfied himself that his prisoner was Klaas the driver.
Webster did not delay his return, and it was not long before he ran up, guided by the fire, which Hume had restarted.