, slowly, and with care, from their pipes, for
tobacco was precious in the camp.

Under some bushes a few yards off lay a huge trooper, whose nationality
was uncertain, but who was held to hail from some part of the British
Isles, and who had travelled round the world. He was currently reported
to have done three years' labour for attempted rape in Australia, but
nothing certain was known regarding his antecedents. He had been up on
guard half the night, and was now taking his rest lying on his back with
his arm thrown over his face; but a slight movement could be noted in
his jaw as he slowly chewed a piece of tobacco; and occasionally when
he turned it round the mouth opened, and disclosed two rows of broken
yellow stumps set in very red gums.

The three Colonial Englishmen took no notice of him. Two, who were
slowly smoking, were of the large and powerful build, and somewhat loose
set about the shoulders, which is common among Colonial Europeans of the
third generation, whether Dutch or English, and had the placidity and
general good temper of expression which commonly marks the Colonial
European who grows up beyond the range of the cities. The third was
smaller and more wiry and of an unusually nervous type, with aquiline
nose, and sallow hatchet face, with a somewhat discontented expression.
He was holding forth, while his companions smoked and listened.

"Now what I say is this," he brought his hand down on the red sand;
"here we are with about one half teaspoon of Dop given us at night,
while he has ten empty champagne bottles lying behind his tent. And we
have to live on the mealies we're convoying for the horses, while he
has pati and beef, and lives like a lord! It's all very well for the
regulars; they know what they're in for, and they've got gentlemen over
them anyhow, and one can stomach anything if you know what kind of a
fellow you've got over you. English officers are gentlemen, anyhow; or
if one was under Selous now--"

"Oh, Selous's a MAN!" broke out the other two, taking their pipes from
their mouths.

"Yes, well, that's what I say. But these fellows, who couldn't do as
farmers, and couldn't do as shopkeepers, and God knows what else; and
their friends in England didn't want to have them; they're sent out here
to boss it over us! It's a damned shame! Why, I want to know, amn't I as
good as any of these fellows, who come swelling it about here? Friends
got money, I suppose!" He cast his sharp gla