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While Swartboy, assisted by Hendrik, was catching up the twelve yoke-oxen, and attaching them to the disselboom and trektow of the wagon, the "baas" himself, aided by Hans, Totty, and also by Truey and little Jan, was loading up the furniture and implements. This was not a difficult task.
As she approached, several of the little creatures had flown towards her, and alighted upon her arms and shoulders; but not as was their wont when desiring to be fed. They appeared to be in a state of alarm, and had come to her for protection. Some enemy certainly must be near, thought Trüey, though she could see none. She looked around and above.
Another moment, and its envenomed fangs would pierce deep into his flesh. With a despairing scream Trüey rushed forward. She hoped to attract the monster upon herself. She would risk her own life to save that of her brother! She had got within six feet of the threatening reptile. Jan was about the same distance from it on the opposite side.
As yet he had seen no snake. He had seen the bird dart down between them; but so adroitly had it seized the cobra and carried it off, that Jan, looking only at Trüey, had not perceived the serpent in its beak. He was bewildered and terrified, for he still fancied that Trüey was in danger. When he heard her exclaim, "We are saved!" he was bewildered all the more. "But the snake!" he cried out.
Hendrik the dashing Hendrik, with bright face and light curling hair is busy among the horses, in the "horse-kraal;" and Truey the beautiful, cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Truey is engaged with her pet a fawn of the springbok gazelle whose bright eyes rival her own in their expression of innocence and loveliness.
Trüey, we have said, looked for the cause of this sudden change in the tactics of the reptile. She learnt it at the first glance. There stretched a piece of smooth sloping ground from the edge of the lake back into the plain. By this the little peninsula was approached. As she glanced outward, she saw the springbok advancing down this slope.
It was evidently enraged partly because it had failed in its plundering intentions, not having been able to reach the nests of the birds, and partly that the latter had repeatedly struck it with their beaks no doubt causing it considerable pain. It was further provoked by the arrival of Trüey, in whom it recognised the rescuer of its intended victims.
Her eyes, however, had scarce rested upon it, before its long slippery body passed from the branch, and the next moment it was crawling head-foremost down the main trunk of the tree. Truey had scarce time to start back, before its head was opposite the spot where she had stood.
They had done so many a time, and as no harm had happened to the children in their absence, such a course became habitual with them. Jan and Truey were cautioned not to stray far from the nwana, and always to climb to the tree, should they perceive any animal that might be dangerous.
She could only scream, and fling her arms wildly about. But these demonstrations, instead of warning Jan of the danger, only rendered it the more certain. He connected the cries which Trüey now uttered with that which had first summoned him. She was in some trouble he knew not what; but as she continued to scream, he believed that something had attacked her.
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