by G. A. Henty
it.
A few months later three teams of waggons drove up to the farm. It waslate in the evening, and their owner, who had met Mr Humphreys severaltimes at Newcastle, knocked at the door.
"I have made a long march," he said, "to-day, and the oxen are knockedup; so if you will take me in, I will halt here for the night instead ofgoing on. The roads have proved heavier than I had expected, and I havedone a very long day's journey."
Mr Humphreys at once invited the speaker to enter. Mr Harvey was atrader, one of those who are in the habit of taking long expeditions farinto the interior, with his waggons laden with cotton, beads,tower-muskets, powder, lead, and toys prized by the natives, returningladen with ivory, ostrich feathers, and skins. He was now about tostart upon such a journey, having stocked his waggons at Durban.
After supper was over, the trader told many stories of his adventuresamong the natives, and the profits which were gained by such journeys.
"Generally," he said, "I go with six waggons, but I was very unluckylast time; the tze-tze-fly attacked my animals, most of which died, andthe natives took advantage of my position to make an attack upon me. Ibeat them off, but was finally obliged to pack all my most valuablegoods in one waggon, to make my way back with it, and abandon everythingelse to the natives. Now, Humphreys, why don't you join me? You havegot a waggon, and you can buy stores at Newcastle, not of course ascheap as at the seaside, but still cheap enough to leave a largemarginal profit on the trip."
"I cannot leave the farm," Mr Humphreys said.
"Nor can his wife spare him, Mr Harvey," Mrs Humphreys put in.
"Well, why don't you send your son, here, with the waggon?" Mr Harveyasked. "The man who generally travels with me as partner broke his legthe other day, down at Durban, and I should be very glad of one or twowhite companions. Two or three white men together can do anything withthe natives, but if there is only one, and he happens to knock up, itgoes very hard with him."
"Well, I don't know," Mr Humphreys said, as Dick looked eagerly towardshim; "it is a sort of thing that wants thinking over."
"Oh! father," Dick exclaimed excitedly, "it would be a glorious trip,especially if Tom Jackson would go too. I heard Mr Jackson onlyyesterday say that his draught-oxen are eating their heads off, and thathe must put them on the road to do some freighting. You see, if MrJackson did not care about going in for the trading himself--and I know,from what he said the other day, that his money is all employed on thefarm--you might hire his waggon for the trip. In fact that and yourown--"
"That sounds easy and satisfactory enough, Dick," Mr Humphreys said,laughing; "but one does not jump into these things in a moment. There,you go off to bed, and I will talk the matter further over with MrHarvey."
Dick went to bed in high glee. When his father once said that he wouldtalk a thing over, Dick felt that the chances were very strong that hewould give in to his wishes. Mr Humphreys was less influenced by theidea of making a good trading speculation than by the consideration thata journey of this kind would not only give great pleasure to his son,but would be of real benefit to him. It was Mr Humphreys' opinion thatit is good for a lad to be placed in positions where he learnsself-reliance, readiness, and promptness of action. For himself hisfarm-work occupied all his thoughts, and he needed no distraction; butfor a lad change is necessary. Had Dick had--as would have been thecase at home--a number of school-fellows and companions of the same age,he would have joined in their games and amusements, and no other changewould have been necessary, or indeed desirable; but in the farm in Natalit was altogether different. The work of looking after a number ofKaffirs planting and watering trees was monotonous, and unbroken, as itgenerally was, by the sight of a strange face from the beginning to theend of the week, it was likely to become irksome to a boy.
Occasionally indeed Dick and Tom Jackson would meet and go out on ashooting expedition together; but Tom could seldom be spared, as hisfather, being shorter-handed than Mr Humphreys, found him ofconsiderable use.
Soon after daylight Dick was aroused by his father.
"Jump up at once, Dick; I want you to ride over with a letter to MrJackson. We have pretty well settled that you shall go with Mr Harvey,and I am writing to make an offer to Mr Jackson for the use of hiswaggon for six months."
Dick gave a shout of delight, and in a very short time had dressedhimself, and, having saddled his horse, was dashing at full speed acrossthe veldt. Early as the hour was when he arrived, Mr Jackson wasalready out in his fields. Dick soon found him, and handed him theletter, and while he was reading it explained in low, excited words toTom the mission on which he had come.
"Well, I don't know," Mr Jackson said, when he had finished the letter;"your father makes me a very liberal offer, Dick, for my waggon and teamfor six months, on the condition that I allow Tom to accompany them, andhe points out that in his opinion a journey of this kind will be likelyto develop the boy's character and teach him many things that may someday be of use to him. It comes upon me suddenly, and it seems he wantsthe waggon and team to be at Newcastle this evening, ready for a startin the morning. He himself is going to ride over there to purchasegoods to freight it directly he receives my reply. I must go in andconsult with mother before I come to any decided conclusion."
So saying he strode off towards the house.
Dick, leading his pony, walked after, by the side of Tom, to whom heexplained all he knew of the character of the proposed journey.
"Mr Harvey says, Tom, that of course he goes to trade, but that at thesame time he does a lot of shooting, both for the sake of the skins andfor the meat for the men. He says that he often meets with lions,hippopotami, and sometimes elephants--sometimes they meet with hostilenatives."
Altogether the expedition promised an immense variety of adventure. Theboys remained chatting outside the house until Mr Jackson came to thedoor and called them in.
"So you are not contented to stop at home, Dick," Mrs Jackson said,"and you want to take Tom rambling away with you again? Of course Icannot say no, when my husband is inclined to let him go, but I shall beterribly anxious until he is back again."
"I won't let him get into any scrapes, Mrs Jackson," Dick saidconfidently.
"I have no faith whatever," Mrs Jackson said, smiling, "in your keepinghim out of scrapes, but I do think it possible that you may get him outof them after he is once in them. Do be careful, my boys, for the sakesof your fathers and mothers! I know Mr Harvey has been making thesejourneys for a good many years and has always got back safely, and Ihave great faith in his experience and knowledge,--but there, Dick, Imust not keep you. Here is my husband with an answer to your father'sletter, and as you will have lots to do, and your father will be waitingfor this letter before he starts for Newcastle, you had better ride offat once. Good-bye, my boy, for I shan't see you again before you start.I trust that you will come back safe and well."
Two minutes later Dick was again galloping across the country, arrivinghome in time for breakfast.
Mrs Humphreys was in better spirits than Dick had feared he should findher; but her health had improved immensely since her arrival in thecolony, and she was more active and energetic than Dick ever rememberedher to have been. She was able therefore to take a far more cheerfulview of the proposed expedition than she could have done the yearbefore, and her husband had had comparatively little difficulty inobtaining her consent to Dick's accompanying Mr Harvey.
"Your father thinks that it will be for your good, my boy," she said,"and I have no doubt that you will enjoy yourself greatly,--but be sureto be careful, and don't let your high spirits get you into scrapes;--remember how valuable your life is to us!"
"While you are away, Dick," his father said, "you will remember that youare absolutely under Mr Harvey's orders. As the head of the expeditionhe stands in the position of the master, and he must receive ready andexplicit obedience from all. He is not a man unnecessarily to curb orcheck you, and you may be sure that he will not restrain
you unless forthe good of the expedition. You must beware how far you stray from thecaravan; the country you are going to is very different from this.Here, go where you will, you are sure in a short time to come upon somefarmhouse, where you may get directions as to your way. There, oncelost, it is upon yourself alone you must depend to recover the track.The beasts of prey are formidable opponents, and a lion or an elephantwounded, but not killed, could rend you into pieces in a moment;therefore you must be prudent as well as brave, obedient as well asenterprising. You have already shown that you have plenty of presenceof mind, as well as of courage, and in nine cases out of ten the formerquality is even the more necessary in a country such as that you are nowgoing to. Courage will not avail you when a wounded leopard is
