ng out of the sleep of centuries, everywhere they were eager to
learn, everywhere they cried for teachers and missionaries.

"Oh," cried Ma, "if only I could do more, if only I were young again! If
only the Church at home would send out scores of men and women. If ..."

She did too much, and her frail weak body could not stand it. Sleep
forsook her, and that meant loss of nerve. When she thought of the
immense work opening up before her, with only herself to do it, she
quailed and shrank from the task. In the night she rose and went
wandering over the house, and looked down upon the children slumbering
in perfect trust and peace.

"Surely, surely," she said, "God who takes care of the little ones will
take care of me."

It was time for her holiday to Scotland, but she could not leave because
she was very near death. A long rest revived her, and she rose--to go
home? No. The flame that burned in that worn little body leapt up and
glowed best in the African forest. Instead of going to Scotland she made
up her mind to spend six months wandering about the Creek in her own
canoe, visiting the people and opening new Mission stations.

"Oh, Ma!" said the other missionaries, "are you wise to do this after
all you have gone through? You have worked so hard, and you need a
holiday. Go home and rest, and then you will be better able to do what
you wish."

But no, she would carry out her plan; and so giving up the Court work to
be freer to serve her own Master, she set out joyfully on her quest for
new toils and triumphs.

[Illustration: "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB!"]

[Illustration: MA'S HOUSE AT USE.]

CHAPTER VIII

Ma learns to ride a bicycle and goes pioneering; the Government
makes her a Judge again and she rules the people; stories of the
Court, and of her last visit to Scotland with a black boy as
maid-of-all-work; and something about a beautiful dream which
she dreamed when she returned, and a cow and a yellow cat.

Ma settled at Itu in a little mud hut, with a table and chair and a few
pots and pans. The girls worked and slept anywhere; the babies, new and
old, crawled all over the place like caterpillars, and at night lay on
bits of newspaper on the floor. Ma helped in the building of the Mission
House and Church, and when they were finished sent for some one to fix
up doors and windows. Mr. Chapman, from the Institution, arrived, and
was treated as the guest of the people, so that whe