〃Oh！　very　well；〃　and　he　turned　back　with　her；　directly；　but　she
  took　him　by　the　hand　to　make　sure；　and　they　marched　back　peaceably；
  in　silence；　and　hand　in　hand。　　But　he　looked　and　looked　at　her；　and
  at　last　he　stopped　dead　short；　and　said；　a　little　arrogantly；
  〃Come；　I　know　YOU。　　YOU　are　not　locked　up；〃　and　he　inspected　her
  point…blank。　　She　stood　like　an　antique　statue；　and　faced　the
  examination。　　〃You　are　'the　noble　savage；'〃　said　he；　having
  concluded　his　inspection。
  〃Nay；〃　said　she。　　〃I　be　the　housemaid。〃
  〃The　housemaid？〃
  〃Iss；　the　housemaid；　Ucatella。　　So　come　on。〃　　And　she　drew　him
  along；　sore　perplexed。
  They　met　the　cavalcade　a　mile　from　the　halting…place；　and　Phoebe
  apologized　a　little　to　Christopher。　　〃I　hope　you'll　excuse　me；
  sir；〃　said　she；　〃but　I　am　just　for　all　the　world　like　a　hen　with
  her　chickens；　if　but　one　strays；　I'm　all　in　a　flutter　till　I　get
  him　back。〃
  〃Madam；〃　said　Christopher；　〃I　am　very　unhappy　at　the　way　things　are
  locked　up。　　Please　tell　me　truly；　is　this　'the　housemaid；'　or　'the
  noble　savage'？〃
  〃Well；　she　is　both；　if　you　go　to　that；　and　the　best　creature　ever
  breathed。〃
  〃Then　she　IS　'the　noble　savage'？〃
  〃Ay；　so　they　call　her；　because　she　is　black。〃
  〃Then；　thank　Heaven；〃　said　Christopher；　〃the　past　is　not　all　locked
  up。〃
  That　afternoon　they　stopped　at　an　inn。　　But　Dick　slept　in　the　cart。
  At　three　in　the　morning　they　took　the　road　again；　and　creaked　along
  supernaturally　loud　under　a　purple　firmament　studded　with　huge
  stars；　all　bright　as　moons；　that　lit　the　way　quite　clear；　and
  showed　black　things　innumerable　flitting　to　and　fro；　these　made
  Phoebe　shudder；　but　were　no　doubt　harmless；　still　Dick　carried　his
  double　rifle；　and　a　revolver　in　his　belt。
  They　made　a　fine　march　in　the　cool；　until　some　slight　mists
  gathered；　and　then　they　halted　and　breakfasted　near　a　silvery
  kloof；　and　watered　the　cattle。　　While　thus　employed；　suddenly　a
  golden　tinge　seemed　to　fall　like　a　lash　on　the　vapors　of　night；
  they　scudded　away　directly；　as　jackals　before　the　lion；　the　stars
  paled；　and　with　one　incredible　bound；　the　mighty　sun　leaped　into
  the　horizon；　and　rose　into　the　sky。　　In　a　moment　all　the　lesser
  lamps　of　heaven　were　out；　though　late　so　glorious；　and　there　was
  nothing　but　one　vast　vaulted　turquoise；　and　a　great　flaming　topaz
  mounting　with　eternal　ardor　to　its　centre。
  This　did　not　escape　Christopher。　　〃What　is　this？〃　said　he。　　〃No
  twilight。　　The　tropics！〃　　He　managed　to　dig　that　word　out　of　the
  past　in　a　moment。
  At　ten　o'clock　the　sun　was　so　hot　that　they　halted；　and　let　the
  oxen　loose　till　sun…down。　　Then　they　began　to　climb　the　mountains。
  The　way　was　steep　and　rugged；　indeed；　so　rough　in　places；　that　the
  cattle　had　to　jump　over　the　holes；　and　as　the　wagon　could　not　jump
  so　cleverly；　it　jolted　appallingly；　and　many　a　scream　issued　forth。
  Near　the　summit；　when　the　poor　beasts　were　dead　beat；　they　got　into
  clouds　and　storms；　and　the　wind　rushed　howling　at　them　through　the
  narrow　pass　with　such　fury　it　flattened　the　horses'　ears；　and　bade
  fair　to　sweep　the　whole　cavalcade　to　the　plains　below。
  Christopher　and　Dick　walked　close　behind；　under　the　lee　of　the
  wagon。　　Christopher　said　in　Dick's　ear；　〃D'ye　hear　that？　　Time　to
  reef　topsails；　captain。〃
  〃It　is　time　to　do　SOMETHING；〃　said　Dick。　　He　took　advantage　of　a
  jutting　rock；　drew　the　wagon　half　behind　it　and　across　the　road；
  propped　the　wheels　with　stones；　and　they　all　huddled　to　leeward；
  man　and　beast　indiscriminately。
  〃Ah！〃　said　Christopher；　approvingly；　〃we　are　lying　to：　a　very
  propercourse。〃
  They　huddled　and　shivered　three　hours；　and　then　the　sun　leaped　into
  the　sky；　and　lo！　a　transformation　scene。　　The　cold　clouds　were
  first　rosy　fleeces；　then　golden　ones；　then　gold…dust；　then　gone；
  the　rain　was　big　diamonds；　then　crystal　sparks；　then　gone；　the
  rocks　and　the　bushes　sparkled　with　gem…like　drops；　and　shone　and
  smiled。
  The　shivering　party　bustled；　and　toasted　the　potent　luminary　in　hot
  coffee；　for　Phoebe's　wagon　had　a　stove　and　chimney；　and　then　they
  yoked　their　miscellaneous　cattle　again；　and　breasted　the　hill。
  With　many　a　jump；　and　bump；　and　jolt；　and　scream　from　inside；　they
  reached　the　summit；　and　looked　down　on　a　vast　slope；　flowering　but
  arid；　a　region　of　gaudy　sterility。
  The　descent　was　more　tremendous　than　the　ascent；　and　Phoebe　got
  out；　and　told　Christopher　she　would　liever　cross　the　ocean　twice
  than　this　dreadful　mountain　once。
  The　Hottentot　with　the　reins　was　now　bent　like　a　bow　all　the　time；
  keeping　the　cattle　from　flowing　diverse　over　precipices；　and　the
  Kafir　with　his　kambok　was　here；　and　there；　and　everywhere；　his　whip
  flicking　like　a　lancet；　and　cracking　like　a　horse…pistol；　and　the
  pair　vied　like　Apollo　and　Pan；　not　which　could　sing　sweetest；　but
  swear　loudest。　　Having　the　lofty　hill　for　some　hours　between　them
  and　the　sun；　they　bumped；　and　jolted；　and　stuck　in　mud…holes；　and
  flogged　and　swore　the　cattle　out　of　them　again；　till　at　last　they
  got　to　the　bottom；　where　ran　a　turbid　kloof　or　stream。　　It　was
  fordable；　but　the　recent　rains　had　licked　away　the　slope；　so　the
  existing　bank　was　two　feet　above　the　stream。　　Little　recked　the
  demon　drivers　or　the　parched　cattle；　in　they　plunged　promiscuously；
  with　a　flop　like　thunder；　followed　by　an　awful　splashing。　　The
  wagon　stuck　fast　in　the　mud；　the　horses　tied　themselves　in　a　knot；
  and　rolled　about　in　the　stream；　and　the　oxen　drank　imperturbably。
  〃Oh；　the　salt！　the　salt！〃　screamed　Phoebe；　and　the　rocks　re…echoed
  her　lamentations。
  The　wagon　was　inextricable；　the　cattle　done　up；　the　savages　lazy；
  so　they　stayed　for　several　hours。　　Christopher　botanized；　but　not
  alone。　　Phoebe　drew　Ucatella　apart；　and　explained　to　her　that　when
  a　man　is　a　little　wrong　in　the　head；　it　makes　a　child　of　him：　〃So；〃
  said　she；　〃you　must　think　he　is　your　child；　and　never　let　him　out
  of　your　sight。〃
  〃All　right；〃　said　the　sable　Juno；　who　spoke　English　ridiculously
  well；　and　rapped　out　idioms；　especially　〃Come　on；〃　and　〃All　right。〃
  About　dusk；　what　the　drivers　had　foreseen；　though　they　had　not　the
  sense　to　explain　it；　took　place；　the　kloof　dwindled　to　a　mere
  gutter；　and　the　wagon　stuck　high　and　dry。　　Phoebe　waved　her
  handkerchief　to　Ucatella。　　Ucatella；　who　had　dogged　Christopher
  about　four　hours　without　a　word；　now　took　his　hand；　and　said；　〃My
  child；　missy　wants　us；　come　on；〃　and　so　led　him　unresistingly。
  The　drivers；　flogging　like　devils；　cursing　like　troopers；　and
  yelling　like　hyenas　gone　mad；　tried　to　get　the　wagon　off；　but　it
  was　fast　as　a　rock。　　Then　Dick　and　the　Hottentot　put　their
  shoulders　to　one　wheel；　and　tried　to　prise　it　up；　while　the　Kafir
  ENCOURAGED　the　cattle　with　his　thong。　　Observing　this；　Christopher
  went　in；　with　his　sable　custodian　at　his　heels；　and　heaved　at　the
  other　embedded　wheel。　　The　wagon　was　lifted　directly；　so　that　the
  cattle　tugged　it　out；　and　they　got　clear。　　On　examination；　the　salt
  had　just　escaped。
  Says　Ucatella　to　Phoebe；　a　little　ostentatiously；　〃My　child　is
  strong　and　useful；　make　little　missy　a　good　slave。〃
  〃A　slave！　　Heaven　forbid！〃　said　Phoebe。　　〃He'll　be　a　father　to　us
  all；　once　he　gets　his　head　back；　and　I　do　think　it　is　comingbut
  very　slow。〃
  The　next　three　days　offered　the　ordinary　incidents　of　African
  travel；　but　nothing　that　operated　much　on　Christopher's　mind；　which
  is　the　true　point　of　this　narrative；　and　as　there　are　many
  admirable　books　of　African　travel；　it　is　the　more　proper　I　should
  confine　myself　to　what　may　be　called　the　relevant　incidents　of　the
  journey。
  On　the　sixth　day　from　Cape　Town；　they　came　up　with　a　large　wagon
  stuck　in　a　mud…hole。　　There　was　quite　a　party　of　Boers；　Hottentots；
  Kafirs；　round　it；　armed　with　whips；　shamboks；　and　oaths；　lashing
  and　cursing　without　intermission；　or　any　good　effect；　and　there
  were　the　wretched　beasts　straining　in　vain　at　their　choking　yokes；
  moaning　with　anguish；　trembling　with　terror；　their　poor　mild　eyes
  dilated　with　agony　and　fear；　and　often；　when　the　blows　of　the　cruel
  shamboks　cut　open　their　bleeding　flesh；　they　bellowed　to　Heaven
  their　miserable　and　vain　protest　against　this　devil's　work。
  Then　the　past　opened　its　stores；　and　lent　Christopher　a　word。
  〃BARBARIANS！〃　he　roared；　and　seized　a　gigantic　Kafir　by　the　throat；
  just　as　his　shambok　descended　for　the　hundredth　time。　　There　was　a
  mighty　struggle；　as　of　two　Titans；　dust　flew　round　the　combatants
  in　a　cloud；　a　whirling　of　big　bodies；　and　down　they　both　went　with
  an　awful　thud；　the　Saxon　uppermost；　by　Nature's　law。
  The　Kafir's　companions；　amazed　at　first；　began　to　roll　their　eyes
  and　draw　a　knife　or　two；　but　Dick　ran　forward；　and　said；　〃Don't
  hurt　him：　he　is　wrong　HERE。〃
  This　representation　pacified　them　more　readily　than　one　might　have
  expected。　　Dick　added　hastily；　〃We'll　get　you　out　of　the　hole　OUR
  way；　and　cry　quits。〃
  The　proposal　was　favorably　received；　and　the　next　minute
  Christopher　and　Ucatella　at　one　wheel；　and　Dick　and　the　Hottentot
  at　the　other；　with　no　other　help　than　two　pointed　iron　bars　bought
  for　their　shepherds；　had　effected　what　sixteen　oxen　could　not。　　To
  do　this　Dick　Dale　had　bared　his　arm　to　the　shoulder；　it　was　a
  stalwart　limb；　like　his　sister's；　and　he　now　he