Frik managed to pull up twenty feet away from the mamba. The whistle failed to wake the mamba. What to do? There was simply nothing to be done but to wait and hope for the best.

Unfortunately it was rather a long wait, and it was nearly an hour before the mamba woke up and casually sidled into the sugar cane.

Now Frik was worried. What would happen to him? He would be held responsible for the delay to the passenger train, he might face a stiff fine or even a reduction in grade.

The file came into the luxurious office of the Assistant Locomotive Superintendent in Durban. He was responsible for the discipline of all steam drivers in Natal.

He read the file on this train delay, took out his pen and scribbled his sentence on the typed page:
“Reprimand the driver and the mamba too!”