If you ever do, give them my kind love." After that I left him.

We had been suffering more than usual from the depredations of the Kaffir thieves, who stole our sheep at night, and, as I had done before, and not without success, I determined to watch the kraal and see if I could catch them.

Indeed, it was from this habit of mine of watching at night that I first got my native name of Macumazahn, which may be roughly translated as "he who sleeps with one eye open." So I took my rifle and rose to go.

But he called me to him and kissed me on the forehead, saying, "God bless you, Allan! I hope that you will think of your old father sometimes, and that you will lead a good and happy life." I remember that I did not much like his tone at the time, but set it down to an attack of low spirits, to which he grew very subject as the years went on.

I went down to the kraal and watched till within an hour of sunrise; then, as no thieves appeared, returned to the station.