birds and insects, which fluttered or crept. Bright butterflies
alighting coquettishly upon the rose-blooms, the clumsy "whirr" of some
ungainly beetle, winging blindly for nowhere in particular, all these
were strange to him, and opened out a vista of boundless interest; but
what he looked forward to was getting farther into the haunts of strange
birds and beasts. He felt light-hearted as a school-boy just escaped
for his holidays, lighter-hearted than he had felt for years.

A strange insect motionless upon a rose-stem attracted his attention.
Deftly he captured it by the back of the neck, and holding it lightly
but firmly proceeded to examine it. The stick-like joints jerked and
struggled slightly, but on the whole the captive seemed to accept the
situation with philosophy. So absorbed was he in the examination of the
"specimen" that the steps of his hostess, tripping down the garden path
behind him, were unheard.

"Beetle-catching, Mr Denham?" she laughed, becoming alive to his
present occupation. "What have you got there?"

"It isn't a beetle. It's a fine specimen of the `praying' amantis.
They are the most hypocritical scoundrels in the insect world. They
stand for hours motionless in an attitude of intense prayer, ready to
grab the first butterfly or anything else that comes in reach."

"Ugh, I don't like crawling things," she laughed. "But I suppose you
collect them, do you?"

"Yes; but I shan't keep this one," replacing it upon its stalk, where it
at once resumed position as if it had never been disturbed. "Why, you
do look workman-like," as he took in the kind of long, artist blouse
which she had got on over her dress. "As to which I couldn't help
admiring your energy--here, there and everywhere--while taking my own
lazy stroll."

She laughed again. "You have to be, if you want to keep a place like
this on the go."

"Well, I must say, as far as I've seen, the result is a success."

"Oh, thanks. Well, if you're not always looking after these boys
they'll shirk. You don't know what Kafirs are, Mr Denham."

"Not yet. I doubtless shall--in time."

"Are you out here for long, then?"

"Well, that depends. In fact, I don't know what it depends on," he
added, with a laugh.

"That's fortunate. It must be jolly to be able to go about as you like.
Wouldn't _I_ like it! But what I came out to tell you was that
Inspector James sent round to say that he'll put you up at the club as
an honora