gradually build up my fortunes
afresh from that modest foundation.

"No," said the ex-major, "I would not advise you to do that; certainly
not. The process is too slow; and unless you should happen to meet with
such a persistent run of good luck as no man has a right to expect you
would be a good way past middle age before you could restore Bella Vista
to what it was a year ago. What I would advise you to do, Laurence, is
this--and, mind you, if I had not watched your behaviour through our
recent short but exceedingly arduous campaign, and with my own eyes
witnessed your indomitable pluck and resource, I would not advise it;
for to undertake and succeed in what I am going to suggest a man must
possess courage that will quail at nothing, infinite resource, the
ability to decide and act with lightning promptitude in the face of any
emergency, a profound knowledge of the ways of the natives, and, lastly,
the thews and sinews of a Hercules, and perfect health."

"But, my dear Major," I protested, "I do not possess half of the
qualities which you deem essential to success in this enterprise,
whatever it may be. It is true that my health at the present moment is
all that I could possibly desire; I am fairly strong--well, perhaps
unusually strong for my age; and I believe that I understand the natives
pretty well: but, apart from that--"

"Yes, apart from that," interrupted my companion, "you possess all the
qualities that I have credited you with. Now, don't contradict me,
youngster, for I have watched you, and I know! To continue from the
point at which I interrupted myself, what I would advise you to do is
what I would unhesitatingly do myself were I in your predicament, what I
would even join you in doing were I younger by thirty years than I
happen to be, and had no wife or family to think about and make me
falter and lose courage on the brink of every extra hazardous adventure;
and it is this. I would recommend you to draw the whole of your money
out of the bank, buy a good wagon and a team of salted oxen, invest
about twenty pounds in beads, copper wire, and Kafir `truck' generally,
lay out the remainder of your money in an elephant gun and ammunition
for it, your rifle, and your sporting gun, and--trek right up-country
into the interior after ivory and ostrich feathers. By the time that
you have completed your preparations the war will be over and the
natives will be not only perfectly quiet and peaceful, but