"He went away, sonny, but he said he'd wait for me, and he'll keep his word." There was a wistful look in the old man's face as he looked towards the sea for some time in silence. "Yes; we slipped inter the wood, the honey-bird calling--the only sound outer the great stillness of the woods, 'cept for the crushing of the dried leaves under our tread, and the bird, flitting like a shadder from tree to tree, led us on deeper and deeper into the heart of the Borna Pass, till I pulled up to take bearings. "`We must get away back, little chap,' I said. "`Then it's not true what you tole me about the honey-bird?' and he looked at me askance. "`Why not?' said I. "`'Cos there he is a calling like mad, same as ever. I don't believe he's a honey-bird, and I don't believe any of them stories you've been tellin' me. You're no pal of mine,' he said, looking at me with a wrinkle 'tween his eyes. "`I'm thinkin' we're gettin' too far from the lines,' I sed, `and you ain't used to the bush if Kaffirs were to come.' "`You're afraid,' he sed; `that's what.' "`Come on,' I sed, like a fool; and I went on, stooping through the bush, going mighty quick, and him panting after me. `I can smell honey,' I sed, stopping short, and noticin' that the bird had done his flight. "`Garn!' he sed, wrinkling up his little nose. There was a holler tree standin' up in a little clearin' no bigger'n a room, and the hum of the bees came to us as we stood. "`I see 'em,' he says; `look at 'em streaming in! What a lark! Cut a hole with your knife,' he says, `'an I'll carry some honey back in this bugle,' and he laughed. "`Well,' says I, `who's been tellin' lies?' "He laughed again. "`I takes it back, Abe,' he says. `Oh my eye! Jes' look!' "I seed then we'd clomb high up on the left side of the pass, and from the clearin' there was a sight of the hanging woods over against us, of the narrow path below, and the soldiers away down to the left. "`Now you've seed the bee-tree,' I says, `we mus' go back.' "`Jes' a little honey, Abe,' he says; `jes' a little to take back, else that Jimmy'll never b'lieve I been up here.' "I were looking across at the dark wood, and I said to him quietly, `Get behind the tree,' for I'd seed a Kaffir stretched out on a grey rock that stood outer the bush. "`What's the row?' he says, looking a little scared. Maybe 'cos I looked the same. "`Take off that coat,' I sed; for the red showed up plain. "`Take off the Queen's coat?' he sed, going red and white; `not me!' "`My lad,' I sed to him quiet; `there are Kaffirs in the bush.' "`What larx,' he sed in a whisper, and his eyes opening wide as he stared at me. "`And if you keep your coat on they'll see you.' "`Let 'em,' he said, swallering his throat. "`Take it off,' I said. "`Not me.'