e of them who was very
nearly being handsome. If it hadn't been for her hair, which strongly
resembled a black scrubbing brush, I think she would have been!"

"Ay, I noticed her casting glances at you, Frank," said Nick. "If she
was one of Umboo's wives, it is a good job that the royal eyes couldn't
see through the back of the head to which they belonged, or his Majesty
might have ordered you both to be burned, or impaled, or disposed of
after some pleasant fashion of the like description. But we will hope
she was a princess, not a queen."

"With all my heart," said Frank, laughing. "Perhaps she was the
Princess Royal and, in default of issue male, the heiress presumptive of
the crown. It would be great promotion to become Crown Prince of the
Namaquas. But here is Charles waiting to speak as soon as he can thrust
a word in edgewise. Well, Charles, what is it?"

"Why, if you fellows have done chaffing, there is something of
importance which I have to tell you."

"Ay, indeed, and what may that be?" inquired Gilbert.

"Why, you know that I have had some conversations with Omatoko in
Dutch?"

"Yes, we all know that."

"But you, perhaps, did _not_ know that I understand something of the
Hottentot language also."

"Certainly, none of us understood that," observed Frank. "Why, Charles,
how could you ever learn it? It seems to me nothing but a series of
chicks, as though they were rattling castanets with their tongues."

"I was laid up once with an accident on a shooting expedition, and was
nursed by the Hottentots. I picked up enough of their lingo to
understand generally what they say, though I don't think I could talk
it," answered Charles.

"Why didn't you tell Omatoko so? It would have saved some trouble?"
asked Warley.

"Why, you see, Ernest, I have had my suspicions of Omatoko from the
first--that is, I have never been quite satisfied about his good faith,
though I thought it better to follow his counsel. But I knew when we
reached the village, that he would speak freely of his real intentions
to his countrymen, not having any suspicion that I understood a word of
what he was saying."

"That was very well thought of," said Warley, "and it was very wise also
to keep your intention to yourself. I am glad I didn't know it, any
way. But what did you learn to-day?"

"I learned, among other things, that the force which it was supposed the
English government would send to reconquer the Cape from t