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overshadowed him； therefore he would root me up。
I went to the corner of my hut； Noma watching me all the while； and
took a kerrie and my small shield。 Then I started through the
moonlight。 Till I was past the kraal I glided along quietly as a
shadow。 After that； I began to run； singing to myself as I went； to
frighten away the ghosts； my father。
For an hour I travelled swiftly over the plain； till I came to the
hillside where the bush began。 Here it was very dark under the shade
of the trees； and I sang louder than ever。 At last I found the little
buffalo path I sought； and turned along it。 Presently I came to an
open place； where the moonlight crept in between the trees。 I knelt
down and looked。 Yes！ my snake had not lied to me； there was the spoor
of the cattle。 Then I went on gladly till I reached a dell through
which the water ran softly； sometimes whispering and sometimes talking
out loud。 Here the trail of the cattle was broad： they had broken down
the ferns with their feet and trampled the grass。 Presently I came to
a pool。 I knew itit was the pool my snake had shown me。 And there at
the edge of the pool floated the drowned ox； its foot caught in a
forked root。 All was just as I had seen it in my heart。
I stepped forward and looked round。 My eye caught something； it was
the faint grey light of the dawn glinted on the cattle's horns。 As I
looked； one of them snorted； rose and shook the dew from his hide。 He
seemed big as an elephant in the mist and twilight。
Then I collected them allthere were seventeenand drove them before
me down the narrow path back towards the kraal。 Now the daylight came
quickly； and the sun had been up an hour when I reached the spot where
I must turn if I wished to hide the cattle in the secret place； as
Noma had bid me。 But I would not do this。 No； I would go on to the
kraal with them； and tell all men that Noma was a thief。 Still； I sat
down and rested awhile； for I was tired。 As I sat； I heard a noise；
and looked up。 There； over the slope of the rise； came a crowd of men；
and leading them was Noma； and by his side the headman who owned the
cattle。 I rose and stood still； wondering； but as I stood； they ran
towards me shouting and waving sticks and spears。
〃There he is！〃 screamed Noma。 〃There he is！the clever boy whom I
have brought up to bring shame on me。 What did I tell you？ Did I not
tell you that he was a thief？ Yesyes！ I know your tricks； Mopo； my
child！ See！ he is stealing the cattle！ He knew where they were all the
time； and now he is taking them away to hide them。 They would be
useful to buy a wife with； would they not； my clever boy？〃 And he made
a rush at me； with his stick lifted； and after him came the headman；
grunting with rage。
I understood now； my father。 My heart went mad in me； everything began
to swim round； a red cloth seemed to lift itself up and down before my
eyes。 I have always seen it thus when I was forced to fight。 I
screamed out one word only； 〃Liar！〃 and ran to meet him。 On came Noma。
He struck at me with his stick； but I caught the blow upon my little
shield； and hit back。 Wow！ I did hit！ The skull of Noma met my kerrie；
and down he fell dead at my feet。 I yelled again； and rushed on at the
headman。 He threw an assegai； but it missed me； and next second I hit
him too。 He got up his shield； but I knocked it down upon his head；
and over he rolled senseless。 Whether he lived or died I do not know；
my father； but his head being of the thickest； I think it likely that
he lived。 Then； while the people stood astonished； I turned and fled
like the wind。 They turned too； and ran after me； throwing spears at
me and trying to cut me off。 But none of them could catch meno； not
one。 I went like the wind； I went like a buck when the dogs wake it
from sleep； and presently the sound of their chase grew fainter and
fainter； till at last I was out of sight and alone。
CHAPTER III
MOPO VENTURES HOME
I threw myself down on the grass and panted till my breath came back；
then I went and hid in a patch of reeds down by a swamp。 All day long
I lay there thinking。 What was I to do？ Now I was a jackal without a
hole。 If I went back to my people； certainly they would kill me； whom
they thought a thief。 My blood would be given for Noma's； and that I
did not wish； though my heart was sad。 Then there came into my mind
the thought of Chaka； the boy to whom I had given the cup of water
long ago。 I had heard of him： his name was known in the land； already
the air was big with it； the very trees and grass spoke it。 The words
he had said and the vision that my mother had seen were beginning to
come true。 By the help of the Umtetwas he had taken the place of his
father Senzangacona； he had driven out the tribe of the Amaquabe； now
he made war on Zweete； chief of the Endwande； and he had sworn that he
would stamp the Endwande flat； so that nobody could find them any
more。 Now I remembered how this Chaka promised that he would make me
great； and that I should grow fat in his shadow； and I thought to
myself that I would arise and go to him。 Perhaps he would kill me；
well； what did it matter？ Certainly I should be killed if I stayed
ehre。 Yes； I would go。 But now my heart pulled another way。 There was
but one whom I loved in the worldit was my sister Baleka。 My father
had betrothed her to the chief of a neighbouring tribe； but I knew
that this marriage was against her wish。 Perhaps my sister would run
away with me if I could get near her to tell her that I was going。 I
would tryyes； I would try。
I waited till the darkness came down； then I rose from my bed of weeds
and crept like a jackal towards the kraal。 In the mealie gardens I
stopped awhile； for I was very hungry； and filled myself with the
half…ripe mealies。 Then I went on till I came to the kraal。 Some of my
people were seated outside of a hut； talking together over a fire。 I
crept near； silently as a snake； and hid behind a little bush。 I knew
that they could not see me outside the ring of the firelight； and I
wanted to hear what they said。 As I guessed； they were talking of me
and called me many names。 They said that I should bring ill…luck on
the tribe by having killed so great a witch…doctor as Noma； also that
the people of the headman would demand payment for the assault on him。
I learned； moreover； that my father had ordered out all the men of the
tribe to hunt for me on the morrow and to kill me wherever they found
me。 〃Ah！〃 I thought； 〃you may hunt； but you will bring nothing home to
the pot。〃 Just then a dog that was lying by the fire got up and began
to sniff the air。 I could not see what dog it wasindeed； I had
forgotten all about the dogs when I drew near the kraal； that is what
comes of want of experience； my father。 The dog sniffed and sniffed；
then he began to growl； looking always my way； and I grew afraid。
〃What is the dog growling at？〃 said one man to another。 〃Go and see。〃
But the other man was taking snuff and did not like to move。 〃Let the
dog go and see for himself；〃 he answered； sneezing； 〃what is the good
of keeping a dog if you have to catch the thief？〃
〃Go on； then；〃 said the first man to t