That was my good Ehlose, my father, which without any doubt took the shape of a snake to save my life.
When they had gone I crept off the other way, and Koos followed me.

At first I thought that I would kill him, lest he should betray me; but when I called to him to knock him on the head with my kerrie, he sat down upon the ground wagging his tail, and seemed to smile in my face, and I could not do it.

So I thought that I would take my chance, and we went on together.

This was my purpose: first to creep into my own hut and get my assegais and a skin blanket, then to gain speech with Baleka.
My hut, I thought, would be empty, for nobody sleeps there except myself, and the huts of Noma were some paces away to the right.

I came to the reed fence that surrounded the huts.