Then Pereira's temper gave out, and he became even more abusive than Vrouw Prinsloo.
"Is this the way you receive me, you veld-hogs, you common Boers, who are not fit to mix with a man of position and learning like myself ?" he began.
"Then in God's name why do you mix with us, Hernan Pereira ?" asked the saturnine Meyer, thrusting his face forward till the Newgate fringe he wore by way of a beard literally seemed to curl with wrath.

"When we were hungry you did not wish it, for you slunk away and left us, taking all the powder.

But now that we are full again, thanks to the little Englishman, and you are hungry, you come back.

Well, if I had my way I would give you a gun and six days' rations, and turn you out to shift for yourself." "Don't be afraid, Jan Meyer," shouted Pereira from the back of the pack-ox.

"As soon as I am strong enough I will leave you in charge of your English captain here"-- and he pointed to me--"and go to tell our people what sort of folk you are." "That is good news," interrupted Prinsloo, a stolid old Boer, who stood by puffing at his pipe.