"My name is Ntlororo, and I am captain of a kraal," said he. "My tribe is at peace with our white brethren, and we will help you in your trouble." Frank thanked the chief most warmly, and inquired how far distant his kraal might be. "Twelve miles," Ntlororo replied. "But my hunters shall carry your friend thither," he quickly added, seeing his "white brother's" face fall considerably. "We will start at once." He then gave some orders to his men, who commenced to collect the spring-bok they had slain, whilst Frank, with Ntlororo's aid, bound up Tom's injured leg. As soon as the stricken deer were all collected, a rough litter was formed of assegais covered with a kaross; on to this Tom was lifted, and the whole party quitted the scene of slaughter and marched up the valley--Frank Jamieson (forgetful of his fatigue and hunger in his thankfulness and excitement) walking beside the litter. The spring-bok were carried on the shoulders of the hunters, who kept up a sort of triumphant chant as they trudged along. They were soon clear of the mountain, and three hours' march brought them to a green savannah, plentifully intersected by the spoor of cattle; which showed Frank Jamieson that they were not any great distance from the kraal. Another half-hour's "heel and toe," and the party came in sight of a cluster of ant-hills dotting a grassy slope leading down to a small river, beyond which lay the kraal. But it was not the sight of the native village that drew forth an exclamation of astonished delight from Frank Jamieson's lips! No, indeed! He scarcely noticed the bee-hive-shaped huts, for his eager eyes were fixed upon a couple of large bullock-waggons outspanned on the banks of the river. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. THE LAST. The bullock-waggons which had attracted Frank Jamieson's attention, when approaching the kraal, belonged to a certain Mr Abraham Shipp, who was engaged in the adventurous and not unprofitable occupation of trading with the natives in the interior of South Africa, bartering a great variety of British hard goods--principally of "Brummagem" manufacture-- for elephants' tusks, valuable skins and horns, and ostrich feathers. Mr Shipp, after many months' sojourn amongst the up-country tribes, had come down south, and was now hastening on to Natal, where he hoped to dispose of the ivory, skins, and plumes that he had collected, to some of the British and Dutch traders, who had branch houses in the fast-rising town of D'Urban, or else make arrangements to ship them off to Cape Town in one of the small coasting vessels plying regularly (more or less!) between Port Natal and Table Bay. But apart from his desire to "trade," Abraham Shipp had another and more important reason for wishing to reach D'Urban as quickly as possible.