Emzon und den bube. He zay I am honest man.--You droost
me?"

"Of course," said Emson frankly. "I know you for what you are,
Morgenstern."

The old man lowered his pipe, and held out his fat hand.

"I dank you, Herr Emzon," he said, shaking his host's hand warmly. "Id
is goot do veel dot von has a vrient oud here in der desert land. Bood
I am gonzern apout you, mein vrient. You haf peen very pad. You do
look sehr krank; unt you zay you haf tone padly. I am moch gonzern."

"We've been very unlucky," said Emson, as the old man seated himself
upon a block of granite, close to one of the ostrich-pens, while an old
cock bird reached over and began inspecting his straw-hat.

"Zo I am zorry. Bood vy do you not dry somedings else? Hund vor skins
or vor iffory? I puy dem all. Und not dry do keep den ostridge-bird in
dem gage, bood go und zhoot him, und zell die vedders do me. Or der is
anodder dings. Hi! You bube: did you dell den bruders apout den
diamonts?"

"Oh yes, I told him," said Dyke sadly; "but he has been so ill. I
thought once he was going to die."

"Zo! Den tunder! what vor you no gom und vetch me und mine old vomans?
Die frau gom und vrighten avay das vevers. She is vonterful old vomans.
She make you like to be ill."

"I was all alone, and couldn't leave him," said Dyke. "I was afraid he
would die if I did."

"Ja, zo. You vas quite right, mein young vrient Van Dyke. You are a
goot poy, unt I loaf you. Zhake mein hant."

The process was gone through, Dyke shrinking a little for fear he would
be kissed.

"Und zo die pirts do nod get on?" said Morgenstern after a pause, during
which he sat smoking.

"No, in spite of all our care," said Emson.

"Ach! vot ist das?" cried the old man, looking sharply round, as his hat
was snatched off by the long-necked bird which had been inspecting it.
"You vill gif dot pack to me, shdupit. Id ist nod goot do eat, und I am
sure id vould not vid your shdupid liddle het.--Dank you, bube," he
continued, as Duke rescued and returned the hat. "Eh? you dink it goot.
Vell, it vas a goot hat; bud you go avay und schvallow shdones, und
make vedders for me to puy. Ach! dey are vonny pirts, Van Dyke. Und zo
dey all go die?"

"We lost a great many through the Kaffir boy we had," said Dyke, as they
walked slowly back to the house.

"Zo? He did not give them do eat?"

"We saw that the birds had enough to eat," said Dyke; "but he used to
knock their head