In the pocket of the coat I had on was a small piece of dirty rag that I had used some time before to clean a gun with.

'Put this in your mouth,' I whispered again, giving him the rag; 'and if I hear another sound you are a dead man.' I knew that that would stifle the clatter of his teeth.

I must have looked as if I meant what I said, for he instantly obeyed me, and continued his journey in silence.
Then we crept on again.
At last we were within fifty yards of the kraal.

Between us and it was an open space of sloping grass with only one mimosa bush and a couple of tussocks of a sort of thistle for cover.
We were still hidden in fairly thick bush.

It was beginning to grow light.