In the three-sided shelter formed by the belly and outthrust legs of one

of the dead elephants they made their camp that night. They drank

coffee together and Sean sat between the two Leroux with his back

against the rough skin of the elephants belly. The silhouettes of the

tree against the night sky were deformed by the shapes of the vultures

that clustered in them and the darkness was ugly with the giggling of

hyena. They had set a feast for the scavengers. They spoke little for

they were tired, but Sean could feel the gratitude of the men who sat

beside him and before they rolled into their blankets Jan Paulus said

gruffly, Thank you, kerel. , You might be able to do the same for me

one day. I hope so, ja! I hope so. In the morning oupa said, It's

going to take us three or four days to cut out all this ivory. He

looked up at the sky. I don't like these clouds. One of us had better

ride.

back to camp to fetch more men and wagons to carry the ivory.

I'll go Sean stood up quickly. I was thinking of going myself. But

Sean was already calling to Mbejane to saddle his horse and Oupa

couldn't really argue with him, not after yesterday.

Tell Ourna to take the wagons across the river, he acquiesced. We don't

want to be caught on this side when the river floods. Perhaps you

wouldn't mind helping her. No, Sean assured him. I don't mind at all.

His horse was still tired from the previous day's hunt and it was three

hours before he reached the river.

He tied his horse on the bank and went down to one of the pools. He

stripped off his clothes and lowered himself into the water. He

scrubbed himself with handfuls of the coarse sand and when he waded out

of the pool and dried on his shirt his skin was tingling. He rode along

the bank and the temptation to gallop his horse was almost unbearable.

He laughed to himself a little. The field's almost clear, though I

wouldn't put it past that suspicious old Dutchman to follow me He

laughed again and thought about the colour of her eyes, green as

creme-de-menthe in a crystal glass, and the shape of her bosom. The

muscles in his legs tightened and the horse lengthened its stride in

response to the pressure of his knees. All right, run then, Sean

encouraged it, I don't insist on it, but I would be grateful. He went

to his own wagons first and changed his sweaty shirt for a fresh one,

his leather breeches for clean calico and his scuffed boots for soft

pohshed leather. He scrubbed his teeth with salt and dragged a comb

through his hair and beard. He saw in the mirror that the battle damage

to his face was fading and he winked at his image. How can she resist

you? He gave his mustache one more twirl, climbed out of the wagon and

was immediately aware of a most uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He

walked towards the Leroux laager thinking about it, and he recognized it

as the same feeling he used to have when Waite Courtney called him to

the study to do penance for his boyhood sins. That's odd, he muttered.

Why should I feel like that?

His confidence faded and he stopped. I wonder if my breath smells, I

think I'd better go back and get some cloves He turned with relief, knew

it as cowardice and stopped again. Get a grip on yourself. She's only

a girl, an uneducated little Dutch girl. You've had fifty finer women.

Name me two, he shot back at himself.

Well, there was, Oh! for Chrissake, come on. Resolutely he set off for

the Leroux laager again.

She was sitting in the sun within the circle of wagons.

She was leaning forward on the stool and her newlywashed hair fell

thickly over her face almost to the ground. with each stroke of the

brush it leapt like a live thing and the sun sparkled the red lights in

it. Sean wanted to touch it, he wanted to twist fistfuls of it round

his hands and he wanted to smell it, it would smell warm and slightly

milky like a puppy's fur. He stepped softly towards her but before he

reached her she took the shiny mass with both hands and threw it back

over her shoulders, a startled flash of green eyes, one despairing wall,

oh, no! not with my hair like this A swirl of skirts that sent the

stool flying and she was gone into her wagon- Sean scratched the side of

his nose and stood awkwardly. Why are you back so soon, meneer? she

called through the canvas. Where are the others? Is everything all

right! Yes, they're both fine. I left them and came to fetch wagons to

carry the ivory. oh, that's good. Sean tried to interpret the