ated in
Europe, had a very charming manner, and was in no mind to suffer herself
to rust dully through existence like some Boer _meisje_. She took the
keenest interest in the expedition, and had known the active members of
it for some years past--since she was a child, in fact. There was a
friendly rivalry between Wheler and Granton in securing her commands and
favours; but hitherto the girl, though she liked these two pleasant,
well-set-up fellows well enough, had shown no decided preference for
either. Even within the secret recesses of her own heart the balance
stood very evenly. Hume Wheler was handsome, refined, a capital talker;
Joe Granton's perennial cheerfulness and unselfish and transparent
character counted for much.

The dark-eyed girl, as she finished her song, suddenly turned round upon
her audience, and exclaimed, "Oh! before you gentlemen start, there's
one little commission I had almost forgotten. You know, Mr Wheler, you
brought some wildebeests' tails down from 'Mangwato when you were last
up-country. Well, they make excellent fly-whisks; but I want something
even bigger. There are plenty of giraffe where you're going, I hear. I
want, above all things, a big bull giraffe's tail. It will make a
splendid whisk for Piet when he stands behind the chairs at dinner in
hot weather. Now, Mr Granton, now, Mr Wheler, whichever of you first
captures and brings me home that treasure shall--shall earn my undying
gratitude."

"By all means, Miss Kate," answered Wheler gaily. "I haven't yet shot a
`camel'--never had the luck to come across one. But you may consider
the tail yours; it shall be laid gratefully at your feet."

"Yes," chimed in Joe Granton, in a much more serious manner. "You shall
have the tail, if I have to ride a `camel' right through to Damaraland
to secure it."

"Don't you trust to Joe," laughingly interrupted Wheler; "he can't hit a
haystack, much less a `camel' going full split. _I'll_ bring in the
tail, and secure that inestimable treasure, Miss Manning's undying
gratitude."

"I'm not sure that I shall not have to trust to my old friend Mr Lane,
after all," returned the handsome girl merrily. "I know _he_ can kill
`camel,' at any rate. However, you have my best wishes in your first
hunt. And, Mr Granton, please don't forget the blue jay feathers [the
`roller' is usually called `blue jay' by colonists]. I want them
badly."

The conversation now took another turn.

"I f