"Well, I have, then," rejoined Carhayes, grimly, for Eustace pretended not to hear. "What you'd call mischief, I suppose. Now what d'you think? I caught that _schelm_ Goniwe having a buck-hunt--a buck-hunt, by Jove! right under my very nose; he and three other niggers. They'd got two dogs, good dogs too, and I couldn't help admiring the way the _schepsels_ put them on by relays, nor yet the fine shot they made at the buck with a kerrie. Well, I rode up and told them to clear out of the light because I intended to shoot their dogs. Would you believe it? they didn't budge. Actually squared up to me." "I hope you didn't shoot their dogs," said Eanswyth anxiously. "Didn't I! one of 'em, that is. Do you think I'm the man to be bounced by Jack Kafir? Not much I'm not. I was bound to let daylight through the brute, and I did." "Through the Kafir?" cried Eanswyth, in horror, turning pale. "Through both," answered Carhayes, with a roar of laughter. "Through both, by Jove! Ask Eustace. He came up just in time to be in at the death. But, don't get scared, old girl. I only `barked' the nigger, and sent the dog to hunt bucks in some other world. I had to do it. Those chaps were four to one, you see, and shied Icerries at me. They had assegais, too." "Oh, I don't know what will happen to us one of these days!" she cried, in real distress. "As it is, I am uneasy every time you are out in the _veldt_." "You needn't be--no fear. Those chaps know me better than to attempt any tricks. They're all bark--but when it comes to biting they funk off. That _schelm_ I plugged to-day threatened no end of things; said I'd better have cut off my right hand first, because it was better to lose one's hand than one's mind--or some such bosh. But do you think I attach any importance to that? I laughed in the fellow's face and told him the next time he fell foul of me he'd likely enough lose his life-- and that would be worse still for him." Eustace, listening to these remarks, frowned slightly. The selfish coarseness of his cousin in thus revealing the whole unfortunate episode, with the sure result of doubling this delicate woman's anxiety whenever she should be left--as she so often was--alone, revolted him. Had he been Carhayes he would have kept his own counsel in the matter. "By the way, Tom," said Eanswyth, "Goniwe hasn't brought in his sheep yet, and it's nearly dark." "Not, eh?" was the almost shouted reply, accompanied by a vehement and undisguised expletive at the expense of the defaulter. "He's playing Harry--not a doubt about it. I'll make an example of him this time. Rather! Hold on. Where's my thickest _sjambok_?" [Sjambok: A whip, made out of a single piece of rhinoceros, or sea-cow hide, tapering at the point. It is generally in the shape of a riding-whip.]