In that event, I said, they were to fall back upon the stoep, but not
to fire until I gave the word.
"Good, my father," he answered. "This is a lucky journey; I never
thought there would be hope of war so soon. My Snake forgot to mention
it the other night. Sleep safe, Macumazana. Nothing that walks shall
reach you while we live."
"Don't be so sure," I answered, and we lay down in the bedroom with
our clothes on and our rifles by our sides.
The next thing I remember was someone shaking me by the shoulder. I
thought it was Stephen, who had agreed to keep awake for the first
part of the night and to call me at one in the morning. Indeed, he was
awake, for I could see the glow from the pipe he smoked.
"Baas," whispered the voice of Hans, "I have found out everything.
They are loading the /Maria/ with slaves, taking them in big boats
from the island."
"So," I answered. "But how did you get here? Are the hunters asleep
without?"
He chuckled. "No, they are not asleep; they look with all their eyes
and listen with all their ears, yet old Hans passed through them; even
the Baas Somers did not hear him.
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