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〃Oh！ very well；〃 and he turned back with her； directly； but she
took him by the hand to make sure； and they marched back peaceably；
in silence； and hand in hand。 But he looked and looked at her； and
at last he stopped dead short； and said； a little arrogantly；
〃Come； I know YOU。 YOU are not locked up；〃 and he inspected her
point…blank。 She stood like an antique statue； and faced the
examination。 〃You are 'the noble savage；'〃 said he； having
concluded his inspection。
〃Nay；〃 said she。 〃I be the housemaid。〃
〃The housemaid？〃
〃Iss； the housemaid； Ucatella。 So come on。〃 And she drew him
along； sore perplexed。
They met the cavalcade a mile from the halting…place； and Phoebe
apologized a little to Christopher。 〃I hope you'll excuse me；
sir；〃 said she； 〃but I am just for all the world like a hen with
her chickens； if but one strays； I'm all in a flutter till I get
him back。〃
〃Madam；〃 said Christopher； 〃I am very unhappy at the way things are
locked up。 Please tell me truly； is this 'the housemaid；' or 'the
noble savage'？〃
〃Well； she is both； if you go to that； and the best creature ever
breathed。〃
〃Then she IS 'the noble savage'？〃
〃Ay； so they call her； because she is black。〃
〃Then； thank Heaven；〃 said Christopher； 〃the past is not all locked
up。〃
That afternoon they stopped at an inn。 But Dick slept in the cart。
At three in the morning they took the road again； and creaked along
supernaturally loud under a purple firmament studded with huge
stars； all bright as moons； that lit the way quite clear； and
showed black things innumerable flitting to and fro； these made
Phoebe shudder； but were no doubt harmless； still Dick carried his
double rifle； and a revolver in his belt。
They made a fine march in the cool； until some slight mists
gathered； and then they halted and breakfasted near a silvery
kloof； and watered the cattle。 While thus employed； suddenly a
golden tinge seemed to fall like a lash on the vapors of night；
they scudded away directly； as jackals before the lion； the stars
paled； and with one incredible bound； the mighty sun leaped into
the horizon； and rose into the sky。 In a moment all the lesser
lamps of heaven were out； though late so glorious； and there was
nothing but one vast vaulted turquoise； and a great flaming topaz
mounting with eternal ardor to its centre。
This did not escape Christopher。 〃What is this？〃 said he。 〃No
twilight。 The tropics！〃 He managed to dig that word out of the
past in a moment。
At ten o'clock the sun was so hot that they halted； and let the
oxen loose till sun…down。 Then they began to climb the mountains。
The way was steep and rugged； indeed； so rough in places； that the
cattle had to jump over the holes； and as the wagon could not jump
so cleverly； it jolted appallingly； and many a scream issued forth。
Near the summit； when the poor beasts were dead beat； they got into
clouds and storms； and the wind rushed howling at them through the
narrow pass with such fury it flattened the horses' ears； and bade
fair to sweep the whole cavalcade to the plains below。
Christopher and Dick walked close behind； under the lee of the
wagon。 Christopher said in Dick's ear； 〃D'ye hear that？ Time to
reef topsails； captain。〃
〃It is time to do SOMETHING；〃 said Dick。 He took advantage of a
jutting rock； drew the wagon half behind it and across the road；
propped the wheels with stones； and they all huddled to leeward；
man and beast indiscriminately。
〃Ah！〃 said Christopher； approvingly； 〃we are lying to： a very
propercourse。〃
They huddled and shivered three hours； and then the sun leaped into
the sky； and lo！ a transformation scene。 The cold clouds were
first rosy fleeces； then golden ones； then gold…dust； then gone；
the rain was big diamonds； then crystal sparks； then gone； the
rocks and the bushes sparkled with gem…like drops； and shone and
smiled。
The shivering party bustled； and toasted the potent luminary in hot
coffee； for Phoebe's wagon had a stove and chimney； and then they
yoked their miscellaneous cattle again； and breasted the hill。
With many a jump； and bump； and jolt； and scream from inside； they
reached the summit； and looked down on a vast slope； flowering but
arid； a region of gaudy sterility。
The descent was more tremendous than the ascent； and Phoebe got
out； and told Christopher she would liever cross the ocean twice
than this dreadful mountain once。
The Hottentot with the reins was now bent like a bow all the time；
keeping the cattle from flowing diverse over precipices； and the
Kafir with his kambok was here； and there； and everywhere； his whip
flicking like a lancet； and cracking like a horse…pistol； and the
pair vied like Apollo and Pan； not which could sing sweetest； but
swear loudest。 Having the lofty hill for some hours between them
and the sun； they bumped； and jolted； and stuck in mud…holes； and
flogged and swore the cattle out of them again； till at last they
got to the bottom； where ran a turbid kloof or stream。 It was
fordable； but the recent rains had licked away the slope； so the
existing bank was two feet above the stream。 Little recked the
demon drivers or the parched cattle； in they plunged promiscuously；
with a flop like thunder； followed by an awful splashing。 The
wagon stuck fast in the mud； the horses tied themselves in a knot；
and rolled about in the stream； and the oxen drank imperturbably。
〃Oh； the salt！ the salt！〃 screamed Phoebe； and the rocks re…echoed
her lamentations。
The wagon was inextricable； the cattle done up； the savages lazy；
so they stayed for several hours。 Christopher botanized； but not
alone。 Phoebe drew Ucatella apart； and explained to her that when
a man is a little wrong in the head； it makes a child of him： 〃So；〃
said she； 〃you must think he is your child； and never let him out
of your sight。〃
〃All right；〃 said the sable Juno； who spoke English ridiculously
well； and rapped out idioms； especially 〃Come on；〃 and 〃All right。〃
About dusk； what the drivers had foreseen； though they had not the
sense to explain it； took place； the kloof dwindled to a mere
gutter； and the wagon stuck high and dry。 Phoebe waved her
handkerchief to Ucatella。 Ucatella； who had dogged Christopher
about four hours without a word； now took his hand； and said； 〃My
child； missy wants us； come on；〃 and so led him unresistingly。
The drivers； flogging like devils； cursing like troopers； and
yelling like hyenas gone mad； tried to get the wagon off； but it
was fast as a rock。 Then Dick and the Hottentot put their
shoulders to one wheel； and tried to prise it up； while the Kafir
ENCOURAGED the cattle with his thong。 Observing this； Christopher
went in； with his sable custodian at his heels； and heaved at the
other embedded wheel。 The wagon was lifted directly； so that the
cattle tugged it out； and they got clear。 On examination； the salt
had just escaped。
Says Ucatella to Phoebe； a little ostentatiously； 〃My child is
strong and useful； make little missy a good slave。〃
〃A slave！ Heaven forbid！〃 said Phoebe。 〃He'll be a father to us
all； once he gets his head back； and I do think it is comingbut
very slow。〃
The next three days offered the ordinary incidents of African
travel； but nothing that operated much on Christopher's mind； which
is the true point of this narrative； and as there are many
admirable books of African travel； it is the more proper I should
confine myself to what may be called the relevant incidents of the
journey。
On the sixth day from Cape Town； they came up with a large wagon
stuck in a mud…hole。 There was quite a party of Boers； Hottentots；
Kafirs； round it； armed with whips； shamboks； and oaths； lashing
and cursing without intermission； or any good effect； and there
were the wretched beasts straining in vain at their choking yokes；
moaning with anguish； trembling with terror； their poor mild eyes
dilated with agony and fear； and often； when the blows of the cruel
shamboks cut open their bleeding flesh； they bellowed to Heaven
their miserable and vain protest against this devil's work。
Then the past opened its stores； and lent Christopher a word。
〃BARBARIANS！〃 he roared； and seized a gigantic Kafir by the throat；
just as his shambok descended for the hundredth time。 There was a
mighty struggle； as of two Titans； dust flew round the combatants
in a cloud； a whirling of big bodies； and down they both went with
an awful thud； the Saxon uppermost； by Nature's law。
The Kafir's companions； amazed at first； began to roll their eyes
and draw a knife or two； but Dick ran forward； and said； 〃Don't
hurt him： he is wrong HERE。〃
This representation pacified them more readily than one might have
expected。 Dick added hastily； 〃We'll get you out of the hole OUR
way； and cry quits。〃
The proposal was favorably received； and the next minute
Christopher and Ucatella at one wheel； and Dick and the Hottentot
at the other； with no other help than two pointed iron bars bought
for their shepherds； had effected what sixteen oxen could not。 To
do this Dick Dale had bared his arm to the shoulder； it was a
stalwart limb； like his sister's； and he now he