West pinched his companion’s arm.
“What is likely to be there?”
“Who can tell? A lioness and her full-grown cubs, perhaps, or a pack of jackals! Worse still, snakes or some of the wandering bushmen with bows and poisoned arrows.”
“Hardly likely!” said the second Boer.
“I think very likely,” said the first speaker, peering so steadfastly into the cavern that for a few moments West felt certain that they were seen. “One of the Kaffir tribes would not enter that place to save their lives.”
“Why?”
“Because they believe that a great water demon hides in the spring who rises up and seizes anyone who approaches, drags him down, and devours him.”
“All of which must be perfectly true!” answered the other Boer, with a sneer. “Of course you are a believer?”
“I’m a full believer in its being dangerous to go into caves without proper lights,” said the first speaker coldly, “and I think we are undergoing risks enough every day from the rooineks’ rifles and their lancers’ spears, without chancing a fall down some horrible pit.”
“Where there is a water demon!” said his companion, with another sneer.