e Dally and Mrs
Scholtz to entertain their visitors to small talk and tea.

While seated thus they became aware of a sudden increase of the din,
whip-cracking, and ox-bellowing with which the camp of the settlers
resounded.

"They seem fond o' noise here," observed Sandy Black, handing his cup to
Mrs Scholtz to be refilled.

"I never 'eard such an 'owling before," said Jerry Goldboy; "what is it
all about?"

"New arrivals from zee interior," answered Scholtz; "dere be always
vaggins comin' ant goin'."

"The camp is a changin' one," said Dally, sipping his tea with the air
of a connoisseur. "When you've been here as long as we have you'll
understand how it never increases much, for although ship after ship
arrives with new swarms of emigrants from the old country, waggon after
waggon comes from I don't know where--somewheres inland anyhow--and
every now an' then long trains of these are seen leaving camp, loaded
with goods and women and children, enough to sink a small schooner, and
followed by crowds of men tramping away to their new homes in the
wilderness--though what these same new homes or wilderness are like is
more than I can tell."

"Zee noise is great," growled Scholtz, as another burst of
whip-musketry, human roars, and bovine bellows broke on their ears, "ant
zee confusion is indesgraibable."

"The gentlemen whose business it is to keep order must have a hard time
of it," said Mrs Scholtz; "I can't ever understand how they does it,
what between landing parties and locating 'em, and feeding, supplying,
advising, and despatching of 'em, to say nothing of scolding and
snubbing, in the midst of all this Babel of bubbledom, quite surpasses
my understanding. Do _you_ understand it, Mr Black?"

"Ay," replied Sandy, clearing his throat and speaking somewhat
oracularly. "'Ee must know, Mrs Scholtz, that it's the result of
organisation and gineralship. A serjeant or corporal can kick or drive
a few men in ony direction that's wanted, but it takes a gineral to move
an army. If 'ee was to set a corporal to lead twunty thoosand men, he'd
gie them orders that wad thraw them into a deed lock, an' than naethin'
short o' a miracle could git them oot o't. Mony a battle's been lost by
brave men through bad gineralship, an' mony a battle's been won by puir
enough bodies o' men because of their leader's administrative abeelity,
Mrs Scholtz."

"Very true, Mr Black," replied Mrs Scholtz, with the assurance of one