Dean's jaw fell, and he stood staring after the strange visitor with so
vacant an expression of countenance that in spite of his annoyance Mark
burst into a hearty laugh.
"What are you grinning at?" cried Dean angrily.
"Your phiz. Why, whatever does that fellow call himself?"
"A horse stealer!" cried Dean excitedly. "That's what he meant by
coming last night."
"Yes," cried Mark. "Come on and fetch them back."
"All right, sir," said Buck; "but how? You'd want a rifle to fetch him
down."
"Hullo! What does this mean?" cried Sir James, as he joined them, with
the doctor. "Why are the ponies being driven away?"
"That fellow!" cried Mark wildly. "A thief, father!"
"To be sure," said Sir James. "But this is a trick. We have been
imposed upon."
"Yes, father. This is the chap that crawled up in the dark, and I took
for a lion. He's a horse stealer."
"Well, the law will soon set that right."
"Yes," said the doctor, "but it means a long tramp back to the town."
"Say, Dan, old chap, this 'ere's a rum game," whispered Buck. "What do
you think of it?"
"Think I should like to get hold of that long-legged 'un. I'd make him
sing to a different tune instead of giving us another specimen of his
whistlin'."
By this time the ponies were far down the track, headed by their strange
visitor, whom the boys had fully expected from moment to moment to see
leap upon one of his companion's backs.
"Well," said Mark, "this is getting up for a refresher before
breakfast!"
"Yes, sir," said Buck. "It's about spoilt mine. Why didn't you bring
him down last night, Mr Mark? I am sure he desarved it."
"No, he didn't," cried the lad addressed. "Look at that! I say,
father, hooray! He's come back."
The boy was quite right, for it was plain enough now, distant as the
objects were, to see in the clear bright morning their nocturnal visitor
describe a curve upon the open country side and, slackening his pace,
begin trotting back, the little drove of ponies dropping from their
canter into a steady trot, coming nearer and nearer till their leader
brought them to where the party had camped for the night; and here they
drew up short and began to crop the tender green shoots again, while the
strange visitor, who did not seem in the slightest degree out of breath,
drew his long pendent moustachios through his hands.
"Well, sir," said Sir James sharply, "pray, what does this mean?"
"Mean?" said the man sadly. "Ponies--know me."
"So it seems," said Sir James; "but I've bought them."
"Yes," said the man, in his most melancholy tone.
"Well, what were you going to say by way of explanation?"
"Nothing."
"Well, what do you want?"
"Breakfast."
"That's what he said before," cried Dean.
"Hungry," said the man, quite reproachfully.
The doctor laughed, and the rest joined in chorus, Dan beginning to
stamp about in the exuberance of his delight.
"Beg pardon, gentleman," he said, checking himself suddenly, "but he do
set me off."
"But the worst of it is, my man," said the doctor, "that this is
resolving itself into no laughing matter."
"No, sir," said Buck respectfully. "There's more cry about him than
laugh."
"Yes," said Mark sharply. "If you had been here and heard him talk it
would have sounded to you as if he had come for help because he was
ill."
"Well, whatever is done," said Sir James, "we must give the poor fellow
some breakfast, and follow it up with a few shillings, or we shall be
having him putting a stop to our expedition."
"Mind he doesn't hear what you say, father," whispered Mark.
"To be sure," said the doctor. "We mustn't let him realise what a power
he has in his hands."
"In his fingers, I think," said Mark.
"And it seems to me," said Sir James, "that he already knows it. Here,
what about breakfast? We will talk about it over our morning meal."
They did, with the result that their party was afterwards increased by
one who had already proved how he could manage the fresh purchases. And
if further inducement were needed it was afforded by Mark, who suddenly
exclaimed, "I've got it, doctor!"
"Got what?"
"This fellow can manage ponies splendidly."
"Well, we know that," said the doctor drily.
"Yes," continued Mark; "but why couldn't a man who can manage dumb
animals like that be quite at home with bullocks?"
"Good boy," said Sir James. "There is something in that. You mean, for
him to take the place of the bullock leader--fore--what you call him."
"Loper, father."
"Yes. Is there any connection between loper and leaper, doctor?"
continued Sir James.
"I cannot say on the instant. It wants thinking out, sir. Antelope--
loper--leaper."
"Well, never mind that," said Sir James. "But if he can manage the
bullocks too that is an additional reason why he should stay."
"But he is such a dismal, unhappy sort of fellow," protested Mark.
"Yes, boy, but he can be very useful to us though not very ornamental,"
said the doctor.
"No, sir," said Dean, "I believe that the oxen would take fright at
him."
"Use is second nature, Dean," said Mark.
"What do you think little Dan said about him just now?" said Dean.
"Can't say, of course," said his uncle. "What did he say?"
"That he was all shadow and flam."
"Yes," cried Mark; "and Buck Denham compared him to a human skeleton on
stilts. I don't like him; but I suppose we shall get used to him in
time."
"Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated Sir James. "Don't trifle, boys; this is a
serious matter. Here, Mark, go and tell Buck Denham that I want to
speak to him."
The man came up, looking very serious, and shaking his head.
"Very sorry, sir," he said, before Sir James could speak, "but I have
just been having it over with that other little black, and he tells me
that his mate came to him after the scare about the lion, and said he
would not go any further, and went off at once."
"Oh," said Sir James. "Well, this is your business, doctor. I said I
wouldn't interfere. You are captain. You had better tell Denham what
we have been talking about."
"Yes. Look here, my man; we have come to the conclusion that this
fellow would be very useful with the ponies."
"Yes, sir?"
"And I want to ask you whether you think he could take the foreloper's
place as well?"
"Well, sir," said the man, with a grim smile, "he doesn't look much like
one, certainly, and I don't believe he knows anything about it."
"But couldn't you train him?"
"Oh, yes, I could train him, sir. I don't think the beasts would take
to him all at once, but it seems to me the queshtun is would he do it?"
"I shall make that the condition as to his staying," said the doctor
firmly.