"Yes, sonny, there I were in the mealies, and there were the Kaffirs about the house banging at the windows because there was nobody at home for 'em to kill. They were mostly young bucks, and they all jawed together, 'cept two or three who started singin' about what big potatoes they was. Well, after knocking around an' smashin' things, they set off in a cluster anyhow, on the back trail. And as I watched 'em go, blow me ef one of them in the rear didn't drop his assegai on puppose. On they went out o' sight behind the bush, but Abe Pike he jest kep' where he were. I tell you, Kaffirs is mighty stuck on their assegais, and bymby, sure enough, back came that chap lopin' along. When he reached the house he shouted out to his friends that it was all right and he'd foller. Well, they gave him the answer back, saying they would go on. He were a young chief this, with an ivory ring round his wrist, and a feather sticking out behind his ear, and as springy on his feet as a young ram. I spotted him well, for I were wondering what his game were, and marked the look in his eyes, and the smooth sweep of his jaws. He picked up his wepin and then he giv' a sharp look all roun', and nex' he went steppin' roun' the house with his head bent. I saw it then, sonny. He were lookin' for spoor, and, by gum, he found it sooner you could snap your fingers. I yeard him give a grunt, and nex' thing I see him sailin' along over the veld with his head down on a trail quite away from that taken by his friends." "He was spooring the people who had escaped from the house?"