on the floor threading beads, "how is it your beads never fall off your
needle?"

"I try," said the little one gravely, moistening her tiny finger. "That
is why."

The overseer, seen by daylight, was a huge German, wearing a shabby
suit, and with a childish habit of rubbing his hands and nodding his
head prodigiously when pleased at anything. He stood out at the kraals
in the blazing sun, explaining to two Kaffer boys the approaching end
of the world. The boys, as they cut the cakes of dung, winked at each
other, and worked as slowly as they possibly could; but the German never
saw it.

Away, beyond the kopje, Waldo his son herded the ewes and lambs--a
small and dusty herd--powdered all over from head to foot with red sand,
wearing a ragged coat and shoes of undressed leather, through whose
holes the toes looked out. His hat was too large, and had sunk down to
his eyes, concealing completely the silky black curls. It was a curious
small figure. His flock gave him little trouble. It was too hot for them
to move far; they gathered round every little milk-bush, as though they
hoped to find shade, and stood there motionless in clumps. He himself
crept under a shelving rock that lay at the foot of the kopje, stretched
himself on his stomach, and waved his dilapidated little shoes in the
air.

Soon, from the blue bag where he kept his dinner, he produced a fragment
of slate, an arithmetic, and a pencil. Proceeding to put down a sum with
solemn and earnest demeanour, he began to add it up aloud: "Six and
two is eight--and four is twelve--and two is fourteen--and four
is eighteen." Here he paused. "And four is eighteen--and--four--is,
eighteen." The last was very much drawled. Slowly the pencil slipped
from his fingers, and the slate followed it into the sand. For a while
he lay motionless, then began muttering to himself, folded his little
arms, laid his head down upon them, and might have been asleep, but for
the muttering sound that from time to time proceeded from him. A curious
old ewe came to sniff at him; but it was long before he raised his head.
When he did, he looked at the far-off hills with his heavy eyes.

"Ye shall receive--ye shall receive--shall, shall, shall," he muttered.

He sat up then. Slowly the dulness and heaviness melted from his face;
it became radiant. Midday had come now, and the sun's rays were poured
down vertically; the earth throbbed before the eye.

The boy stood up quickly, and cleared