those very much swollen and unpleasant looking fecund female insects
which are to be found in the nethermost chamber of the city of the
termites, and which lay thousands of eggs daily--had safety taps, of
which 'Ntsoba's master kept the keys.

Jim Gubo and Kalaza talked about many things--of life at the convict
station, for Kalaza was the nephew of Jim's father's second wife, and
Jim consequently knew all about his companion; of the decadence of the
times, in which it was so difficult for a poor man to live without
working; of the strictness with which the locations were managed; of
how the inspectors inquired inconveniently as to strangers therein
sojourning, and chiefly about the decline in Jim's particular line of
business.

"Son of my father," said Jim, "times are very bad indeed. There is
little or no stock-stealing going on. The farmers come to the office
and report losses of sheep; we are sent to hunt for the thieves, but
instead of catching them, we find that the sheep have simply strayed
into some other farmer's flock. Will you believe it; for two months we
have not run in a single thief?"

"Mawo," replied Kalaza, "how very discouraging."

"Yes, and Government thinks we are not doing our duty, and my officer
says we are no good."

"But can you not make them steal, or make the magistrate think they
do?" rejoined Kalaza, after a pause.

"Wait a bit, that is what I am coming to," said Jim, in a low tone.
"There is one man whom I know to be a thief, but though I have tried
to, over and over again, I cannot catch him."

"Who is that?"

"Maliwe, the son of Zangalele, the Kafir whose brother Tambiso gave
evidence against you when you were tried by the judge."

Here the beady eyes of Kalaza gave a kind of snap, and he leant forward
with an appearance of increased interest.

"Tell me about Maliwe," he said.

"Maliwe," replied Jim, "is the shepherd of Gert Botha, whose farm is
near the Gangili Hill, where the two rivers join."

Kalaza pondered for a few seconds, and then asked:

"But what makes you think he steals?"

"Well, you know what a Kafir is. Maliwe lives alongside the sheep, in
a hut on the mountain--all alone. The kraal is far from the homestead.
Gert Botha never gives his servants enough to eat, and Maliwe must
often be hungry. There you have it--a man hungry night after night, and
close to him a kraal fall of fat sheep. You know!"

"Does Maliwe ever go to beer-drinks?"

"Not often, for