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But it was his duty to isolate Laputa's army, and at all costs, it must be prevented from joining any of the concentrations in the south. Then I proposed to him to do as Rhodes did in the Matoppos, and go and talk to them. By this time, I argued, the influence of Laputa must have sunk, and the fervour of the purification be half-forgotten. The army had little food and no leader.
Only Laputa's incomparable veld-craft and great bodily strength prevented the two from being caught in half an hour. They doubled back, swam the Labongo again, and got into the thick bush on the north side of the Blaauwildebeestefontein road. The Basuto scouts were magnificent in the open, but in the cover they were again at fault.
I think that the sight of that splash determined me. Whether I willed it or not, I was sealed of Laputa's men. I must play the game to the finish, or never again know peace of mind on earth. These last four days had made me very old. I found a pair of Arcoll's boots, roomy with much wearing, into which I thrust my bruised feet. Then I crawled to the door, and shouted for a boy to bring my horse.
Laputa's tall figure stood swaying above the white ashes, his hand pressed to his side. 'Who is it? he said, looking at me with blind eyes. 'It is the storekeeper from Umvelos', I answered. 'The storekeeper of Umvelos', he repeated. 'God has used the weak things of the world to confound the strong. A king dies because a pedlar is troublesome. What do they call you, man?
Consequently it was of the first importance to locate Laputa's whereabouts, and for this purpose the native trackers were sent forward. There was just a chance of capturing him, but Arcoll knew too well his amazing veld-craft and great strength of body to build much hope on that. We were none too soon.
I seemed to hear Laputa's voice saying, 'It is the storekeeper. His face was all that I could see, and it was unperturbed. There was a mocking ghost of a smile about his lips. Myriad hands seemed to grip me and crush my breath, but above the clamour I heard a fierce word of command. After that I fainted.
'Are you awake, Mr Storekeeper? The voice was Laputa's, but I could not see him. The room was pitch dark, except for a long ray of sunlight on the floor. 'I'm awake, I said. 'What do you want with me? Some one stepped out of the gloom and sat down near me. A naked black foot broke the belt of light on the floor. 'For God's sake get me a drink, I murmured.
When I look at the map and see the journey which with vast fatigue I completed from Dupree's Drift to Machudi's, and then look at the huge spaces of country over which Laputa's legs took him on that night, I am lost in admiration of the man. About midnight he must have crossed the Letsitela. Here he made a grave blunder.
Maps were spread beside them, and Laputa's delicate forefinger was tracing a route. I strained my ears, but could catch only a few names. Apparently they were to keep in the plains till they had crossed the Klein Labongo and the Letaba. I thought I caught the name of the ford of the latter; it sounded like Dupree's Drift.
My feet seemed leaden, my hands had no more grip than putty. I do not know how I escaped falling into the pool, for my head was singing and my heart thumping in my throat. I seemed to feel Laputa's great hand every second clawing at my heels. I had reason for my fears. He had entered the crack long before I had reached the top, and his progress was twice as fast as mine.
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