"No, I shall make supper to-night," said Jean. "It is time I tried to do something for you."
She gathered up sticks and bits of bark and laid the fire, which Kadok carefully lighted, taking one from a box of matches which he had in his swag, and which he kept tied up in the skin of an animal to keep them from getting damp. He had brought back a yopolo[18] from his hunt in the forest, and wild bee's honey, and he said to Jean,
"Better not make damper to-night. Save meal for some day we have not meat."
"I am tired of damper anyway," said Jean. "How shall I cook the meat?"
"Put leaves over hot stones, set yopolo on, all in his skin, cover him over with earth and he cook very tender," said Kadok, and she followed his receipt. There was only a little water left in the water-hole, and that not fresh.
"Where do you get water, Kadok?" asked Jean.
"From the spring," he answered. "Not far, just ten steps in the bushes, straight ahead from cave, but not safe for little Missa go."
"Why not? We are both so thirsty," she pleaded.
"Little Missa's shoes make tracks. Bad Black come long, see tracks, know white child here, steal little Missa away."