hose and throwing the water in
the cheerfulest shower upon the beds. Billy stood with his hands on his
hips watching her, very hot, very self-contained. He was shining with
perspiration; and he looked the better of it. Eversofar was camped
beneath a sandal-tree teaching a cockatoo, also hot and panting, but
laughing low through his white beard; and Bingong, black, hatless--less
everything but a pair of trousers which only reached to his knees--was
dividing his time between the cockatoo and my wife.

Presently Bingong sighted an iguana and caught it, and the three
gathered about it in the shade of the sandal. After a time the interest
in the iguana seemed to have shifted to something else; and they were
all speaking very earnestly. At last I saw Billy and my wife only
talking. Billy was excited, and apparently indignant. I could not hear
what they were saying, but I saw he was pale, and his compatriots in
worship rather frightened; for he suddenly got into a lofty rage. It was
undoubtedly a quarrel. Mulholland saw, too, and said to me: "This looks
as if there would be a chance for you yet." He laughed. So did I.

Soon I saw by my wife's face that she was saying something sarcastical.
Then Billy drew himself up very proudly, and waving his hand in a grand
way, said loudly, so that we could hear: "It's as true as gospel; and
you'll be sorry for this-like anything and anything!" Then he stalked
away from her, raising his hat proudly, but immediately turned, and
beckoning to Eversofar and Bingong added: "Come on with me to barracks,
you two."

They started away towards him, looking sheepishly at my wife as they did
so; but Billy finding occasion to give counter-orders, said: "But you
needn't come until you put the cockatoos away, and stuck the iguana in a
barrel, and put the hose up for--for her."

He watched them obey his orders, his head in the air the while, and when
they had finished, and were come towards him, he again took off his hat,
and they all left her standing alone in the garden.

Then she laughed a little oddly to herself, and stood picking to pieces
the wet leaves of a geranium, looking after the three. After a little
she came slowly over to us. "Well," said I, feigning great irony,
"all loves must have their day, both old and new. You see how they've
deserted you. Yet you smile at it!"

"Indeed, my lord and master," she said, "it is not a thing to laugh at.
It's very serious."

"And what has broken t