I agreed, though in my heart I was doubtful, and said that I would leave Hans, whose foot was not as yet quite well, and with whom she had made friends as she had done with Umslopogaas, to look after her.  Also there would be with him the two great Zulus who were now recovering from their attack of stomach sickness, so that she would have nothing to fear.  She answered with her slow smile that she feared nothing, still, she would have liked to come with us.  Then we parted, as it proved for a long time.

It was quite a ceremony.  Umslopogaas, “in the name of the Axe” solemnly gave over Inez to the charge of his two followers, bidding them guard her with so much earnestness that I began to suspect he feared something which he did not choose to mention.  My mind went back indeed to the prophecy of the witch-doctor Goroko, of which it was possible that he might be thinking, but as while he spoke he kept his fierce eyes fixed upon the fat and pompous quarter-breed, Thomaso, I concluded that here was the object of his doubts.

It might have occurred to him that this Thomaso would take the opportunity of her father’s absence to annoy Inez.  If so I was sure that he was mistaken for various reasons, of which I need only quote one, namely, that even if such an idea had ever entered his head, Thomaso was far too great a coward to translate it into action.  Still, suspecting something, I also gave Hans instructions to keep a sharp eye on Inez and generally to watch the place, and if he saw anything suspicious, to communicate with us at once.

“Yes, Baas,” said Hans, “I will look after ‘Sad-Eyes’”—­for so with their usual quickness of observation our Zulus had named Inez—­“as though she were my grandmother, though what there is to fear for her, I do not know.  But, Baas, I would much rather come and look after you, as your reverend father, the Predikant, told me to do always, which is my duty, not girl-herding, Baas.  Also my foot is now quite well and—­I want to shoot sea-cows, and——­” Here he paused.

“And what, Hans?”

“And Goroko said that there was going to be much fighting and if there should be fighting and you should come to harm because I was not there to protect you, what would your reverend father think of me then?”

All of which meant two things:  that Hans never liked being separated from me if he could help it, and that he much preferred a shooting trip to stopping alone in this strange place with nothing to do except eat and sleep.  So I concluded, though indeed I did not get quite to the bottom of the business.  In reality Hans was putting up a most gallant struggle against temptation.

As I found out afterwards, Captain Robertson had been giving him strong drink on the sly, moved thereto by sympathy with a fellow toper.  Also he had shown him where, if he wanted it, he could get more, and Hans always wanted gin very badly indeed.  To leave it within his reach was like leaving a handful of diamonds lying about in the room of a thief.  This he knew, but was ashamed to tell me the truth, and thence came much trouble.