"All o' a sudden, when we got in a dip, he give over limpin'. `Abe,' he says, breathin' hard, `there were a Kaffir watching us. Now you go along home--quick! Don't say nothin' to father. Maybe the chap's up to no mischief, but if he is, I'll find out.' "`Come back with me,' I sed, skeered. "`Do what I tell you,' he sez; and when I started to go, he slipped away to the left, up the hill. Well, I went on, gettin' more and more skeered, till I saw the house, then I jes' hid away and waited for Jim. Bymby, in the afternoon, here he came running, and I run to meet him when he slowed down. "`Whatjer see?' I asked him. "`Nothin',' he sez. "`Whatjer run for, then?' "`To keep warm,' he sez, though the sweat were running off him. "Well, when we got to the clearin' we met Jake hauling on a big stump. "`Well, youngsters,' he says; wiping his forehead with the back of his hand; `had a good time?' "`Jake,' said Jimmie, `there's Kaffirs over yonder.' "`What's that! Are you joking?' "`There's Kaffirs over yonder,' sed Jimmie, staring at his brother; `and the chap as was here last night is with 'em. I heard them call him. His name's Tyali.' "`My God!' said Jake, going white. `Tell father,' he sed, and then he ran. "I laughed, sneering at Jake, and Jimmie hit me in the side, though his mouth were twitching. "`What the row?' sed Harry, coming up. "`Kaffirs!' sed Jimmie, scowling after Jake. "`Hurrah!' sed Harry, and threw up his hat. "`What's all this I yere from Jake?' said ole man Tolver, striding up. `So,' he sed, when Jimmie tole him, putting the ends of his beard into his mouth, which were a trick he had when thinking. `So; they're coming. Well, let 'em come! I tole that Guv'ment chap I'd stay here, and here I'll stay. If any of you boys would like to go, you'd better clear now.' "They were all of them together--all but Jake, and he had gone running into the house. "`It's too much trouble to run,' said Oll, biting on a piece of grass. `'Sides, I ain't finished "scoffling" the mealies. I'll stay.' "The ole baas he jes' grunted. "`So'll I,' said Seth. "`Ef you all went,' said Harry, with his eyes shining, `I'd stop.' "The ole baas he jes' grunted ag'in. "`An' me,' said Willie; `and me too'--`and me,' said Jim and baby Tom. "`Thank you, my sons,' sed Tolver, softly, and jes' then Jake came outer the house--Jake the biggest and the oldest, and the kindest of the brothers. In his hand he carried a big chopping axe, which were like a little stick in his grasp. He looked at his brothers, and his father looked at him. "`I'm going over to Clumber,' he sed. "`So,' sed his father; and they all stood silent. "`Yes,' sed Jake after a time, `I give 'em warning.' "`And take yourself out of danger,' sed the ole baas quietly. "Jake looked at his father rather sad-like, and then he said: `Shall I take Jim and Tom with me?' "`I won't go,' sed Tom, turning red.