and
seldom returned without a goodly supply of game of one kind or another.
During these expeditions, Ella would continually ply her companions with
questions respecting English life, and especially the habits of English
ladies, in which she took a deep and ever-increasing interest; and
Warley, at least, was never tired of satisfying her curiosity. In the
evenings there was the second meal, and after that De Walden or Warley
read aloud; or the Queen and the missionary would talk over the Europe,
and especially the England, of their young days, of which both
entertained so vivid a remembrance. It was strange to think that a life
so nearly resembling that of an English home, could be carried out at a
distance of more than seven thousand miles from it, and amid the depths
of an uncultivated wilderness!

Meanwhile nothing could be learned respecting Kobo's movements. A
messenger had been despatched to the village, in which Queen Laura
usually resided, it being supposed that Kobo had repaired thither in
search of her. But the Basuto had returned in four or five days, with
the information that nothing had been seen or heard of the missing man.
A party of white men, it was however reported, had been seen travelling
somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Vaal, and it was thought that Kobo
might have joined them. Further inquiries were set on foot, as soon as
this information was received, as to who these white men were, and
whence they had come; but it was found impossible to obtain any
trustworthy tidings respecting them. If there ever had been any such
persons in the vicinity of the Gariep, at all events they had long since
departed, and no one knew whither.

It was now again the season of early summer, and the shrubs and flowers
were in their full freshness and beauty. It was resolved to gratify
Nick and Frank (who were beginning to find life in the Basuto kraal
exceedingly dull and wearisome) with some sport, which they had not yet
witnessed. In particular, they were anxious to see the giraffe hunted;
and it having been reported that a large herd of these animals had been
seen browsing in a kloof at no great distance, a party was formed for
going in chase of them on the ensuing day. The Queen had desisted from
the sports of the field for two or three years past, and De Walden could
not afford, at the present juncture, to lose even a day with his
scholars. But all the others joined the expedition, accompanied by th