"Now, baas," said Daniel, after he had fitted on the foot-gear, "do de boots suit? Dey will not last long, but better dan nothin'."
The New Zealander burst into a loud laugh, despite the seriousness of his position, and assured the Kaffir that he was delighted with the boots.
"Will you 'boys' go with me to the Kopje Farm?" asked he, as he rose to his feet.
The eyes of both Kaffirs rolled in their sockets, showing an unusual proportion of white, and Simon, the loquacious one, said with a splutter, "No, baas, a thousand times, no. Dan'l an' me likes a good fight, but a sjambokking first, and shootin' de next minute, don't suit dese two boys at all."
The strangely assorted trio, after Morton had rested a few minutes, set off in the direction of Orangefontein; Daniel, who knew the country well, leading the way, while the trooper and Simon followed in the rear.
Again Morton tackled his Kaffir companion about the commando of Boers who had so unexpectedly arrived at the Kopje Farm soon after the departure of the New Zealanders.
"Do you mean to say there was not the slightest attempt to show fight when the Boers arrived, Moses?"
"Dat is not my name, baas," replied the Kaffir, with some heat. "My name Simon. Moses no good at all—always up at Van Donnop's over de veldt; worse dan a Boer."
"Never mind what your name is, my good fellow," observed the trooper. "The Boers could not come from the Kopje?"
"No, baas; no road dat way. Dere be three paths up to de farm—one straight from de valley, an' de oders on what you call de right an' left flanks. De Boers came up on de left flank, while your boys went away by de right. We first saw de Boers when dey were a long way off."