Was that a lie, or what did you mean by saying it ?" "It was no lie, Baas," answered the Hottentot excitedly.

"I have said it once, and I will say it again.

Listen, Baas, and I will tell you the story.

When I was young--so tall"-- and he held his hand high enough to indicate a Tottie of about fourteen years of age--"we, that is, my father, my mother, my uncle--a very old man, older than the Baas" (pointing to Silas Croft)--"were _bijwoners_ (authorised squatters) on a place belonging to old Jacob Muller, Baas Frank's father, down in Lydenburg yonder.

It was a bush-veldt farm, and old Jacob used to come down there with his cattle from the High veldt in the winter when there was no grass in the High veldt, and with him came the Englishwoman, his wife, and the young Baas Frank--the Baas we saw yesterday." "How long was all this ago ?" asked Mr.Croft.
Jantje counted on his fingers for some seconds, and then held up his hand and opened it four times in succession.