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Do you put the rice in with the mealies？〃
〃Got to； I've got no other pot。 And the fellows don't object。 It's a
tasty variety； you know！〃
The keen…faced man slouched away across the square to where his fire burnt；
and presently the other man rose and went； either to look at his own pot or
sleep under the carts； and the large Colonial man was left alone。 His fire
was burning satisfactorily about fifty feet off； and he folded his arms on
the ground and rested his forehead on them； and watched lazily the little
black ants that ran about in the red sand； just under his nose。
A great stillness settled down on the camp。 Now and again a stick cracked
in the fires； and the cicadas cried aloud in the tree stems； but except
where the solitary paced up and down before the little flat…topped tree in
front of the captain's tent； not a creature stirred in the whole camp； and
the snores of the trooper under the bushes might be heard half across the
camp。
The intense midday heat had settled down。
At last there was the sound of someone breaking through the long grass and
bushes which had only been removed for a few feet round the camp； and the
figure of a man emerged bearing in one hand a gun； and in the other a bird
which he had shot。 He was evidently an Englishman； and not long from
Europe； by the bloom of the skin； which was perceptible in spite of the
superficial tan。 His face was at the moment flushed with heat； but the
clear blue eyes and delicate features lost none of their sensitive
refinement。
He came up to the Colonial； and dropped the bird before him。 〃That is all
I've got；〃 he said。
He threw himself also down on the ground； and put his gun under the loose
flap of the tent。
The Colonial raised his head； and without taking his elbows from the ground
took up the bird。 〃I'll put it into the pot； it'll give it the flavour of
something except weevily mealies〃； he said； and fell to plucking it。
The Englishman took his hat off； and lifted the fine damp hair from his
forehead。
〃Knocked up； eh？〃 said the Colonial； glancing kindly up at him。 'I've a
few drops in my flask still。〃
〃Oh； no； I can stand it well enough。 It's only a little warm。〃 He gave a
slight cough； and laid his head down sideways on his arm。 His eyes watched
mechanically the Colonial's manipulation of the bird。 He had left England
to escape phthisis； and he had gone to Mashonaland because it was a place
where he could earn an open…air living； and save his parents from the
burden of his support。
〃What's Halket doing over there？〃 he asked suddenly； raising his head。
〃Weren't you here this morning？〃 asked the Colonial。 〃Didn't you know
they'd had a devil of a row？〃
〃Who？〃 asked the Englishman； half raising himself on his elbows。
〃Halket and the Captain。〃 The Colonial paused in the plucking。 〃My God；
you never saw anything like it！〃
The Englishman sat upright now； and looked keenly over the bushes where
Halket's bent head might be seen as he paced to and fro。
〃What's he doing out there in this blazing sun？〃
〃He's on guard；〃 said the Colonial。 〃I thought you were here when it
happened。 It's the best thing I ever saw or heard of in my whole life！〃
He rolled half over on his side and laughed at the remembrance。 〃You see；
some of the men went down into the river； to look for fresh pools of water；
and they found a nigger； hidden away in a hole in the bank； not five
hundred yards from here！ They found the bloody rascal by a little path he
tramped down to the water； trodden hard； just like a porcupine's walk。
They got him in the hole like an aardvark； with a bush over the mouth； so
you couldn't see it。 He'd evidently been there a long time； the floor was
full of bones of fish he'd caught in the pool； and there was a bit of root
like a stick half gnawed through。 He'd been potted； and got two bullet
wounds in the thigh； but he could walk already。 It's evident he was just
waiting till we were gone； to clear off after his people。 He'd got that
beastly scurvy look a nigger gets when he hasn't had anything to eat for a
long time。
〃Well； they hauled him up before the Captain； of course； and he blew and
swore； and said the nigger was a spy； and was to be hanged tomorrow； he'd
hang him tonight； only the big troop might catch us up this evening； so
he'd wait to hear what the Colonel said； but if they didn't come he'd hang
him first thing tomorrow morning； or have him shot； as sure as the sun
rose。 He made the fellows tie him up to that little tree before his tent；
with riems round his legs； and riems round his waist； and a riem round his
neck。〃
〃What did the native say？〃 asked the Englishman。
〃Oh； he didn't say anything。 There wasn't a soul in the camp could have
understood him if he had。 The coloured boys don't know his language。 I
expect he's one of those bloody fellows we hit the day we cleared the bush
out yonder； but how he got down that bank with his leg in the state it must
have been； I don't know。 He didn't try to fight when they caught him； just
stared in front of himfright； I suppose。 He must have been a big
strapping devil before he was taken down。
〃Well； I tell you； we'd just got him fixed up； and the Captain was just
going into his tent to have a drink； and we chaps were all standing round；
when up steps Halket； right before the Captain； and pulls his front lock
you know the way he has？ Oh； my God； my God； if you could have seen it！
I'll never forget it to my dying day！〃 The Colonial seemed bursting with
internal laughter。 〃He begins； 'Sir； may I speak to you？' in a formal kind
of way； like a fellow introducing a deputation； and then all of a sudden he
starts offoh； my God； you never heard such a thing！ It was like a boy in
Sunday…school saying up a piece of Scripture he's learnt off by heart； and
got all ready beforehand； and he's not going to be stopped till he gets to
the end of it。〃
〃What did he say；〃 asked the Englishman。
〃Oh； he started； How did we know this nigger was a spy at all； it would be
a terrible thing to kill him if we weren't quite sure； perhaps he was
hiding there because he was wounded。 And then he broke out that； after
all； these niggers were men fighting for their country； we would fight
against the French if they came and took England from us； and the niggers
were brave men； 'please sir'（every five minutes he'd pull his forelock；
and say； 'please sir！'）'and if we have to fight against them we ought to
remember they're fighting for freedom； we shouldn't shoot wounded prisoners
when they were black if we wouldn't shoot them if they were white！' And
then he broke out pure unmitigated Exeter Hall！ You never heard anything
like it！ All men were brothers； and God loved a black man as well as a
white； Mashonas and Matabele were poor ignorant folk； and we had to take
care of them。 And then he started out； that we ought to let thi