It would be
dangerous anyhow, for, though he could frighten a man into giving him
what he required, he could not prevent him from giving the alarm
afterwards. While he was looking on a mounted Boer stopped at the shop
door. He dismounted at once, and lifted a large bundle from his saddle.
"Look here!" he said to the shopkeeper. "I have just come into the town,
having ridden up from near Greytown. I picked up some loot at a house
that had been deserted. Here are twenty bottles of wine and a lot of
tea--I don't know how much. There was a chest half-full, and I emptied
it into a cloth. What will you give me for them? I am riding home to
Volksrust. I want three loaves and a couple of bottles of dop [Footnote:
The common country spirit.], and the rest in money." The bargaining
lasted for some minutes, the storekeeper saying that the wine was of no
use to him, for no Boer ever spent money on wine; the tea of course was
worth money, but he had now a large stock on hand, and could give but
little for it. However, the bargain was at last struck. The Boer brought
out the bread and two bottles of spirits and placed them in his saddle-
bag, then he went back into the shop to get the money. The moment he
entered Sankey moved quietly up to the other side of his horse,
transferred the bottles of spirits to his own pocket, and then,
thrusting the loaves under his coat, crossed the street, and turned down
a lane some twenty yards farther on.
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