ent. You haf been down mit dem vever?"

"Yes, I've been very ill."

"That is nod goot. Bood you ged besser now. Ach, here is der poy!
Ach! mein goot liddle bube, ant how you vas?"

Dyke's hands were seized, and to his horror the visitor hugged him to
his broad chest, and kissed him loudly on each cheek.

"Oh, I'm quite well," said Dyke rather ungraciously, as soon as he could
get free.

"Ov goorse you vas. Grade, pig, oogly, shtrong poy. I am clad to zee
you again. You did got home guite zave?"

"Eh? Oh yes. But that's ever so long ago."

"Zo? Ach! I haf been zo busy as neffer vas. Now you led mein two poys
outspan, eh?"

"Of course," said Emson warmly.--"Show them where the best pasture is,
toward the water, Dyke.--Come in, Herr. You look hot and tired."

"Ja, zo. I am sehr hot, and you give me zomeden to drink. I haf zom
peaudivul dea in dem vagons. I give you zom to make."

An hour later, with the visitor and his men refreshed, Morgenstern
smiled at Dyke, and winked both his eyes. "You know vad I vants?" he
said.

"Yes; your pipe."

"Ja, I wand mein bibe. You gom mit me do god mein bibe und mein dobacco
din; und den I light oop, und shmoke und dalk do you, und you go all
round, und zhow me den ostridge-bird varm."

They all went out together, the visitor noticing everything; and laying
his hand upon Emson's shoulder, he said: "You muss god besser, mein
vrient. You are nod enough dick--doo tin."

"Oh, I'm mending fast," said Emson hastily, and then they stopped by the
wagon, with Morgenstern's eyes twinkling as he turned to Dyke.

"You haf been zo goot," he said; "you make me ead und trinken zo mooch,
dat I gannod shoomp indo den vagon. I am zo dick. Good! You shoomp
in, and get me mein bibe und dobacco din."

Dyke showed him that he could; fetched it out, and after the old man had
filled, lit up, and begun to form smoke-clouds, he said: "You dake me
now do see if mein pullocks and my poys is ead und trink."

"Oh, they're all right," cried Dyke.

"Ja. Bood I always like do zee for meinzelf. Zom beobles ist nod as
goot as you vas, mein vrient. A good draveller ist kind do his beast
und his plack poy."

The visitor was soon satisfied, for he was taken round to where Tanta
Sal was smiling at her two guests, who, after making a tremendous meal,
had lain down and gone to sleep, while the oxen could be seen at a
distance contentedly grazing in a patch of rich grass.

"You ha