“Yes, that was fine,” said Pietie, with relish. “‘Voerts! there is one dead! Voerts! there is another!’ Outa, you always say you are so stiff, but you can still kick well.”
“Aja, baasje,” returned Outa, modestly; “in my day I was a great dancer. No one could do the Vastrap better—and the Hondekrap—and the Valsrivier. Arré, those were the times!”
He gave a little hop at the remembrance of those mad and merry days, and yet another and another, always towards the passage leading to the kitchen.
“But the meaning, Outa, the heavenly meaning!” cried little Jan. “You haven’t told us.”
“No, my little baas, not to-night. Ask the Nonnie; she will tell you. Here she comes.”
And as Cousin Minnie entered the room, the wily old native, with an agility not to be expected from his cramped and crooked limbs, skipped away, leaving her to bear the brunt of his inability to explain his own story.
[1] Sassaby (also spelt Sesseby) or Bastard Hartebeest are much smaller than the Hartebeest proper, and are found in open veld near forest country.