rifles and other weapons for me to choose from, as I
did not know whither we might wander in Africa, and to make further
necessary arrangements. All of these things he did, and--here we are."

"Yes," I answered reflectively, "here you are. What is more, here is
your luggage of which there seems to be enough for a regiment," and I
pointed to a Scotch cart piled up with baggage and followed by a
long line of Kafirs carrying sundry packages upon their heads that,
marshalled by Savage, had halted at my gate.

CHAPTER VIII

THE START

That evening when the baggage had been disposed of and locked up in my
little stable and arrangements were made for the delivery of some cases
containing tinned foods, etc., which had proved too heavy for the Scotch
cart, Lord Ragnall and I continued our conversation. First, however, we
unpacked the guns and checked the ammunition, of which there was a large
supply, with more to follow.

A beautiful battery they were of all sorts from elephant guns down, the
most costly and best finished that money could buy at the time. It made
me shiver to think what the bill for them must have been, while their
appearance when they were put together and stood in a long line against
the wall of my sitting-room, moved old Hans to a kind of ecstasy. For a
long while he contemplated them, patting the stocks one after the other
and giving to each a name as though they were all alive, then exclaimed:

"With such weapons as these the Baas could kill the devil himself.
Still, let the Baas bring Intombi with him"--a favourite old rifle of
mine and a mere toy in size, that had however done me good service in
the past, as those who have read what I have written in "Marie" and
"The Holy Flower" may remember. "For, Baas, after all, the wife of one's
youth often proves more to be trusted than the fine young ones a man
buys in his age. Also one knows all her faults, but who can say how
many there may be hidden up in new women however beautifully they are
tattooed?" and he pointed to the elaborate engraving upon the guns.

I translated this speech to Lord Ragnall. It made him laugh, at which
I was glad for up till then I had not seen him even smile. I should
add that in addition to these sporting weapons there were no fewer than
fifty military rifles of the best make, they were large-bore Sniders
that had just then been put upon the market, and with them, packed in
tin cases, a great quantity of ammunition. Altho