e-the great
licking fire, the dancing, barbaric figures, the rise and fall of the
rhythm, the dust and shuffle, the ebb and flow of the dance, the dim,
half-guessed groups swaying in the darkness-and overhead the calm tropic
night.

At last, fairly exhausted, they stopped. Some one gave a signal. The men
all gathered in one group, uttered a final yell, very like a cheer, and
dispersed.

We called up the heroes of the day-Fundi and his companion-and made a
little speech, and bestowed appropriate reward. Then we turned in.

XVI. FUNDI

Fundi, as I have suggested, was built very much on the lines of the
marabout stork. He was about twenty years old, carried himself very
erect, and looked one straight in the eye. His total assets when he came
to us were a pair of raggedy white breeches, very baggy, and an old mesh
undershirt, ditto ditto. To this we added a jersey, a red blanket, and a
water bottle. At the first opportunity he constructed himself a pair of
rawhide sandals.

Throughout the first part of the trip he had applied himself to business
and carried his load. He never made trouble. Then he and his companion
saw five lions; and the chance Fundi had evidently long been awaiting
came to his hand. He ran himself almost into coma, exhibited himself
game, and so fell under our especial and distinguished notice. After
participating whole-heartedly in the lion dance he and his companion
were singled out for Our Distinguished Favour, to the extent of five
rupees per. Thus far Fundi's history reads just like the history of any
ordinary Captain of Industry.

Next morning, after the interesting ceremony of rewarding the worthy, we
moved on to a new camp. When the line-up was called for, lo! there stood
Fundi, without a load, but holding firmly my double-barrelled rifle.
Evidently he had seized the chance of favour-and the rifle-and intended
to be no longer a porter but a second gunbearer.

This looked interesting, so we said nothing. Fundi marched the day
through very proudly. At evening he deposited the rifle in the proper
place, and set to work with a will at raising the big tent.

The day following he tried it again. It worked. The third day he marched
deliberately up past the syce to take his place near me. And the fourth
day, as we were going hunting, Fundi calmly fell in with the rest.
Nothing had been said, but Fundi had definitely grasped his chance to
rise from the ranks. In this he differed from his