propelled him from the water and clouded his vision with tears.
'Chase them!'
'Mt. them!'
The pack bayed after them, pellets hissed about them and slapped at
them as they pelted back along the stream. Before they reached the
next bend their backs and bottoms were dappled with the angry red spots
which tomorrow would be bruises.
Without discretion, hot with the chase, shouting and laughing, the
attackers poured into the trap and as they rounded the bend it closed
upon them.
Dirk and Nick stood poised to meet them, and suddenly the bank above
their heads was lined with squealing, dancing, naked savages, who
hurled a steady stream of missiles into them.
For a minute they stood it, then completely broken they scrambled out
of the river-bed with pellets flailing them and raced panic-stricken
for the shelter of the plantation.
One of them remained below the bank, kneeling in the mud, sobbing
softly. But according to the unspoken laws that governed them this one
was exempt from further punishment.
'It's only Boetie,' Nickie shouted. 'Leave him. Come on!
Chase the others! ' And he scrambled up the bank and led them after
the flight. Yelling and shrilling with excitement they streamed away
through the brown grass to where Piet Van Essen was desperately trying
to stay the rout on the edge of the plantation, and gather his men to
meet the charge.
But another of them remained below the bank-Dirk Courtney.
There were just two of them now. Screened by the bank, completely
alone. Boetie looked up and through his tears saw Dirk coming slowly
towards him. He saw the latin Dirk's hand and the expression on his
face. He knew he was alone with Dirk.
'Please, Dirk,' he whispered. 'I give up. Please. I give
UP.
Dirk grinned. Deliberately he moulded the clay pellet on to his lat.
'I'll give YOU all my lunch tomorrow, ' pleaded Boetie. 'Not just the
sweets, I'll give you all of it.'
Dirk hurled the clay. Boetie's shriek thrilled his whole body.
He began to tremble with the pleasure of it.
'I'll give you my new pocket-knife. ' Boetie's voice was muffled by
sobs and his arms which he had crossed over his face.
Dirk loaded the lat, slowly so he could savour this feeling of power.
'Please, Dirkie. Please, man, I'll give you anything you-' and Boetie
shrieked again.
'Take your hands off your face, Boetie.' Dirk's voice was strangled,
thick with pleasure.
'No, Dirkie. Please no!'
'Take your hands away, and I'll stop.'
'You promise, Dirkie. You promise you'll stop.
'I promise,'
whispered Dirk.
Slowly Boetie lowered his arms, they were thin and very white, for he
