her whole body into a living torch, a torch that fell and writhed and
died before the flames reached the thatch of the roof of 'heuniskraal.
They faced each other across the waist of the bow, and the bright
sunlight threw their shadows along the filthy planking of the deck. TWo
tall young men, both dark-haired and burned rich brown by the sun, both
with the big Courtney nose-both angry. From the poop three of the Arab
crew watched with mild curiosity.
'So you won't come home, then?' Michael asked. 'You're going through
with this childishness?'
-Why do you want me to?'
'Me? Good God, if I never see you again it would be too soon.
Ladyburg will be a cleaner town without you.
'Then why did you come?'
'Your father asked me.
'Why didn't he come himself?' Dirk's bitterness echoed in his voice.
'he's still a sick man-his head. Hurt badly.'
'If he wanted me, he would have come.'
'He sent for you, didn't he?'
'But why did he want you to win, why did he stop me? 'Listen to me,
Dirk. You're young yet. There are many things you don't understand.
' 'Don't I! ' And Dirk threw back his head and laughed scornfully.
'Oh, I understand all right. You'd better get off this boat, we're
just about to sail.'
'Listen, Dirk . . .'
'Get off. Run back to him-you can have my share.'
'Dirk, listen to me. He said if you refused to come-then I was to give
you this.' From inside his coat Michael drew an envelope and offered
it.
'What is it? 'I don't know-but I expect that it's money.
Dirk came slowly across the deck and took the envelope from him.
'Have you a message for him?' Michael asked, and when Dirk shook his
head he turned and jumped down on to the wooden jetty. Immediately a
bustle began behind him as the Arab crew cast off the lines.
Standing on the edge of the jetty, Michael watched the stubby little
craft drift out on the waters of Durban Bay. He could smell the stench
of her bilges, her sides were streaked with human filth, and the single
sail that rose slowly as the crew hoisted the long teak boom was
stained and patched like a quilt.
The wind took her and the pregnant belly of the sail bulged Out, she
heeled and thrust forward through the chop of dirty green water-headed
towards the bar, where a low surf broke In languid lines of white.
The two half-brothers stared at each other across the widening gap.
Neither of them lifted an arm or smiled. The dhow bore away.
Dirk's face was a tiny brown fleck above the white tropical suit, then
suddenly his voice.
'Tell him . . . 11 Small in the distance. 'Tell him . and the rest
of it was lost on the wind, in the soft lap and sigh of the wavelets
beneath the jetty.
Below where they sat on the lip of the escarpment, the walls of
Theuniskraal stood up like smoke-browned tombstones marking the burial
