‘Really?’

‘Also a book that I carry with me when I travel, but I only have two copies left.’

‘You’re giving him a book?’

‘I don’t know. Will he take care of it?’

‘Oh, yes. He has a few books under his bed. No one’s allowed to touch them. What is your book about?’

‘Just some stories about the people in the Cape. Your Oupa wrote it.’

‘Oupa Krisjan?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oupa Krisjan can write books?’

‘Oupa Krisjan is well-known in the Cape.’

‘I didn’t know.’

‘This will keep your brother happy for months. Tell him he must come to the Cape. I’ll take him up the Table Mountain when he comes to visit.’

By noon the wagon was loaded with water and beskuit and biltong and a sheep Willem gave them for the journey. The family stood in a circle around the departing travellers, as Willem helped his uncle up onto the wagon.

‘Travel safely, Oom.’

Willem handed him a folded blanket when he was in his seat. ‘An extra one, for those cold nights,’ he said.

Krisjan Kloot looked down at Willem, the reins in his hand.

‘This is the last time we will see each other, Willem. I’m glad I came.’

‘I’m glad too, Oom. I’m glad you made the effort to come all this way. All the best.’

They watched as Krisjan Kloot flicked his whip, starting his oxen on the long road home. As the wagon reached the huts, they saw Karel separate from a knot of Koi-na to join it. They watched in silence as the grey canvas top bobbed slowly down the track and disappeared between the boulders at the end of the road.

‘I’m glad that’s over,’ David said, letting out a long sigh. ‘Thank goodness no one visited.’

‘Don’t you forget who that is,’ Willem Kloot shot him a stern look. ‘What he does is his own business, not yours.’

The day after their departure, Vinkie and Kleintje were helping Sanna spread out washing on the grass when they saw dust rising in the distance. They ran excitedly to Willem and David, who were heading for the kraal.

‘It’s Roff and Twa, Pa, look!’

But Willem was too upset by the scene confronting him even to look up. They had heard a commotion and rushed outside, guns at the ready, only to find half a dozen bloodied lambs lying there ripped open. The baboons had gone straight for the curdled milk in their stomachs. Three ewes lay bleeding in the dust, with bite marks on their necks and heads. The bleating was deafening.

Willem sighed and straightened up.

‘It’s them all right. I’ll be damned—he’s got the sheep!’

David squinted.

‘It doesn’t look like all the sheep.’

‘I didn’t expect to see any.’

David opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it. His father had chosen to forget the past deeds of his younger son.

‘The Jouberts are coming for a meal,’ Vinkie said. ‘Ma says there’s water for baths.’

‘Are you sure? The rain hasn’t been that plentiful,’ Willem said.

‘Yes. Ma wants you to hurry.’

Willem grunted. A bath was a luxury, requiring patient co-operation. Daily cleanliness was a wipe of the face; a full bath required privacy in the kitchen where the tin tub was set up in front of the hearth late at night while other members stayed politely behind their partitions. With the Jouberts coming for the evening meal and Roeloff arriving with two weeks’ dirt on him, there would scarcely be enough time or hot water, and besides, Drieka would surely be upset about the kitchen being occupied at a busy hour. He would inspect the water level himself, to see if his wife had been correct. Water for the animals came before baths. Even drinking water was limited.

‘Don’t the two of you have anything to do?’ Willem addressed the two children in front of him.

‘Kleintje has done his jobs already. We want to wait for Roff.’

‘Doesn’t Kleintje have a mouth of his own?’

Vinkie turned to Kleintje. Kleintje looked back at her, his eyes wide.

‘He can speak, but he’s afraid of you, Pa.’

‘Why’s he afraid? He must only be afraid if he’s done something wrong. Has he done something wrong?’ Willem asked sarcastically.

‘No, Grootbaas,’ Kleintje said quickly.

‘Tell your father to fetch the lambs, and to put these ewes out of their misery. Tell him to cut up the ewes and bring the meat to the house. The lambs are for you people.’

‘Yes, Grootbaas.’ Kleintje ran off to tell his father the good news.

Vinkie stayed behind to watch Roeloff and Twa come slowly over the rise with the sheep.

‘Had any trouble?’ Willem asked when they arrived.

‘I knew them.’

‘You knew them?’

Roeloff dismounted, looking at the carnage.

‘Baboons?’

‘Yes.’