CHAPTER NINE.
THE FRIEND IN NEED.
"Why, Joeboy," I cried, wiping my eyes, "you're splendid.

But where's Echo Nek ?" "Dah!" he said, pointing behind him with the dangerous-looking assagai he carried.
"Did you see me coming ?" He nodded, it being one of his habits to say as little in English as he could.
"Tell me: have you got anything to eat ?" I said.

"I'm starving." He darted back to the other side of the ridge, and came back with the strap of a big canvas satchel over his shoulder, the bag-part looking bulky in the extreme.
"Um Tant Jenny," he said, frowning, as he shook the satchel, and then proceeded to scrape off with the blade of his stabbing-assagai the large ants which had scented the contents and were swarming to the attack.
"Is there any water near ?" I asked.
"Um," said Joeboy, pointing towards the other side of the ridge.
"Then there will be grass too," I said.

"Go on, and show the way.
Quick!" The great black nodded and went off at a trot, taking me over the ridge and down a steep slope into a large gap in the side of the hill; and a quarter of an hour later we were alongside a bubbling stream, where long, rich, juicy grass grew in abundance.
Directly after Sandho was grazing contentedly; and when I had drunk from the pure fresh water, I was devouring rather than eating the magnified salt-beef sandwiches of which the satchel contained ample store, while Joeboy grinned to see the way in which one disappeared.
"Catch hold," I said, pushing a great sandwich towards my black companion; but he shook his head and shrank away.
"Tant Jenny say all young Boss Val," he said, and then he laughed and displayed a large packet carefully fastened to the inside of his shield.
This packet he opened, took out a sandwich similar to mine, then squatted down and began to eat.
"Joeboy had plenty yes'day," he said, and he gave his front a circular rub as if to suggest that it was still fairly stored, after which he went on munching slowly as if to keep me company.
"Now," I said after eating a few mouthfuls, "what did my father say ?" "Big Boss say Joeboy go Echo Nek.

Stop till son Val come." "Is that all ?" I said wonderingly.
"Yes; all Boss say." As he spoke, however, Joeboy laid his sandwich upon the shield beside him, and then began to fumble behind him in the band of his cut-down trousers, out of a leopard-skin pocket attached to which he drew a packet of common leather tied up with a slip of the same.
I opened the leather packet with trembling fingers, and found a letter, which I eagerly read: "Dear Val,--I take it for granted, my boy, that you will escape from those ruffians and be lying in wait for my message.