, you know."

"I wish we started now," was the answer, and the speaker savagely kicked
his boots across the floor, to the grave peril of a big tarantula
prowling along in the shadow against the dilapidated wainscotting. "I
hope there'll be a thundering big war when we get up there. I could
take on a good deal of excitement just now."

The other laughed pleasantly. "I know you could, Dick, but let's hope
we'll get some excitement without the war. Well now, pull yourself
together. There are plenty of good times sticking out in front of you.
Good-night."

Dick, left alone, thought what an easy thing it was to give advice. How
could an old chap like Greenoak realise what he was going through? he
said to himself--losing sight of the possibility of his friend having at
one time gone through an exactly similar experience. Ah, well--there
was a prospect of excitement ahead--that was one comfort.

Going to the window, he threw up the sash, and the night air, still and
cool, penetrated the room. The sky was clear and the stars shone in
myriad frosty twinkle, and up from the shaggy forest strips which lined
the deep kloofs abutting on the great hollow, came the multifold voices
of the creatures of the night, winged or four-footed. Under a cold moon
the great crags were visible, and as he gazed forth upon the still
vastness of Nature, it seemed to Dick Selmes that every spot on the
place carried with it some association. The night reminded him of that
similar one down in the Addo, when he had gone forth single-handed to
seek adventure--and had found it too, with a vengeance. Since then what
an experience had come his way, changing his life completely. Then,
chilled by the night air, he closed down the window and turned in.

It seemed hardly five minutes before the entrance of Greenoak told him
that it was time to turn out. There was a sharp, raw nip in the air,
although the sky was without a cloud, for the sun was not yet up, and
Dick proceeded to dress, hurriedly and shiveringly. He felt altogether
depressed. He wished he had never heard of South Africa, and then, even
upon his youthful understanding, was borne in the certainty that what
had overtaken him here would have overtaken him somewhere else.

As he entered the living-room Hazel was there dispensing early coffee.
If only he had the opportunity of being alone with her even now, he
thought, but he had not. Already the cart stood inspanned in front of
th