ne? We brought in his wife
to-day, Milne and I."

"Then he's all right. If it wasn't for our women-kind we could all
stick to our farms right through," answered Payne. "Just think what
sort of effect it has on Jack Kafir to see every fellow cutting away
from him like mad."

"Why don't you practise what you preach then, old chap?" put in another
man, while three or four more laughed significantly, for Payne's
opinions were decidedly in disfavour among that gathering. "Why do you
_trek_ away and leave your own place?"

"Oh, blazes take you all! Ain't I jolly well hung round with
women-kind?" was the reply, in a rueful, comic tone which raised a roar
of laughter. "How can I?"

"What has become of that Britisher who was staying with you?" asked
Hoste.

A very quaint expression came into the other's face. "He's thinking
more of love than of war," he answered, lowering his voice for Hoste's
benefit. "Expect he'll take one of the said women-kind off my hands
mighty sharp. Won't be his fault if he doesn't."

"Britishers ain't no damn good!" said a burly fellow in corduroy, with a
lurch up against Eustace.

Some of the men looked awkward; others interested. The remark was
enough to provoke half a dozen fights, especially in that room,
frequented as it often was by Police troopers, many of whom were young
Englishmen of recent importation and thus likely to resent such a slur
upon the home-grown article. But it took a good deal more than this to
embark Eustace in active hostilities. The expression of his immobile
features was as if the remark had passed unheard. Besides, he saw at a
glance that the fellow was drunk.

"I say, you fellows--Hoste, Milne. Lets go and have a wet!" said Payne,
making a move towards the bar, partly with a view to avoiding any
further chance of a row. "Put a name to your pet poison and we'll drink
confusion to old Kreli. Hang it. This atmosphere is enough to float a
line-of-battle ship. Let's get out of it--when we've had our moistener,
not before."

"It's rather rough on me, this shindy," he continued as they found
themselves outside again. "What's the good of a fellow laying himself
out to improve his place? Here I've got a lot of splendid lands under
cultivation. Fountains Gap is a perfect jewel in that line, and now I
must sacrifice the whole lot. Well, we're all in the same boat, that's
one thing," he added philosophically. "So long, you fellows. I must go
home.