“Come, boys, search about, and one of you saddle up. Go, call Groot Willem,” was the master’s prompt order as he turned and left the room.
Six Hottentots, a Bushman, and a Bechuana boy obeyed, but those who searched sought in vain. Yet not altogether in vain—they found Junkie’s “spoor,” and traced it into the jungle. While two followed it, the others returned and “saddled up” the horses. Groot Willem chanced to be on a visit to the Highlanders at the time.
“What a pity,” he said, coming out of his room and stretching himself (it was quite an impressive sight to see such a giant stretch himself!) “that the hunters are off. They might have helped us.”
The giant spoke with good-humoured sarcasm, believing that the urchin would assuredly be found somewhere about the premises, and he referred to the departure of an exploring and hunting party under George Rennie, which had left Glen Lynden the previous day for the interior.
But when Groot Willem with his companions had ridden a considerable way up the kloof, and found Junkie’s spoor mingling with that of baboons, he became earnest. When he came to the gnarled tree and discovered that it was joined by that of horses and Cape tigers, he became alarmed.
A diligent examination was made. Drops of blood were found on the ground. The leopard itself was ultimately discovered stone dead in a thicket with the poisoned arrow in its side, the horse-spoor was followed up a long way, and then it was pretty clearly seen that the child had been carried off by marauders of some sort.
Of course a thorough search was made and pursuit was immediately instituted. Groot Willem and McTavish pushed on promptly to follow the spoor, while men were sent back to the glen for a supply of ammunition, etcetera, in case of a prolonged search becoming necessary.
The search was ably planned and vigorously carried out; but all in vain. Junkie had departed that life as thoroughly as if he had never been, and Mrs Scholtz remained at Glen Lynden the very personification of despair.
We shall now turn to the exploring party which had left the Baviaans River on the previous day.
About this time the rumours of war among the natives of the vast and almost unknown interior of the land had become unusually alarming. A wandering and warlike horde named the Fetcani had been, for some time past, driving all the other tribes before them, and were said at last to be approaching the Winterberg frontier of the colony. In order to ascertain what foundation there was for these reports, as well as to explore the land, the party under Rennie was sent out. Among those who formed this party were Charlie Considine, Hans Marais, Sandy Black and his satellite Jerry Goldboy, Andrew Rivers, Diederik and Christian Muller, and the tall black-bearded hunter Lucas Van Dyk, besides Slinger, Dikkop, and other Hottentots and Bushmen.