affing him. "I had thought of fixing
our mid-day resting place on the river bank below where Umzinyati flows
in. Or, are the horns of Matyana's calves long enough to reach across?
What thinkest thou, son of Tyingoza?"

"_Ou_!" laughed the youth, bringing his hand to his mouth. "You are my
father, Iqalaqala. But that day is yet to be paid for."

His broken leg was very completely mended, and he showed no trace of a
limp, even. I explained the joke to my companion.

"I didn't know they fought like that among themselves," she said. "Tell
me, Mr Glanton. They are not likely to do anything of that sort
to-day, are they? I mean, they might get excited."

"No--no. Don't be in the least alarmed about that. By the way, how are
you getting on in your studies? Say something to Ivuzamanzi now--even
if only two or three words."

"No, I'm shy to. You'll only laugh at me, or he will."

"Not a bit of it. Now--go ahead."

"Hallo! What nigger's this?" bellowed Falkner, swaggering up. "He
wasn't here last night, was he?"

"No," I answered rather shortly, disgusted at the interruption of this
blundering ass upon our little understanding. "He's the chief's son,
and he's going to boss up the arrangements, so don't be uncivil to him
if you can help it, eh?"

"I'll try not. But I say, Glanton, come and arrange about these guns
you were speaking of, there's a good fellow. It must be nearly time to
start."

Already, you see, he was beginning to take over the whole scheme. It
was a little way he had--I have observed it too, in others of his
kidney.

"Oh, there's time enough," I said, still shortly, for I don't like to be
hustled, and just then, and by Falkner Sewin, I liked it still less.
And something of this must have imparted itself to his understanding for
he answered unpleasantly:

"Oh well of course, if you're so much better employed," and he moved off
in dudgeon. My companion coloured slightly and looked displeased.

"Isn't your relative rather a queer tempered sort of fellow?" I asked,
with a smile.

"Well yes, he is rather, but we are all so sorry for him that--I'm
afraid he was rather rude to you, Mr Glanton, I must apologise for
him."

"No--no--no," I said. "Not a bit of it. Don't you think anything about
that. I don't."

She changed the subject to something else, and I went on talking longer
than I would otherwise have done. The interruption and its manner had
annoyed me, and a good deal