"But these savages, Miss Sewin. Believe me, they are not half bad fellows at bottom if you take them the right way. You haven't got to go very far down to find them so, either." "And we take them the wrong way, isn't that what you mean?" she answered, with another of her somewhat disturbing smiles. "I believe you are quite right--in fact I know you are--and I am always saying so. But, here are the others. I hope you will keep on telling them the same thing, over and over again until they see it themselves, if it isn't too late." "I will. But you? You yourself. Don't you find this rough country and rough life a sadly different thing to what you had expected?" I said. "Not `sadly' different. On the contrary, it is full of interest. To begin with, these same savages interest me immensely. I should like to learn their language. Is it easy?" "To tell the truth I don't know whether it is or not. I didn't _learn_ it, myself. I sort of absorbed it. But I can tell you it makes all the difference in the world if you can talk with them and understand them or not. If you can I can't imagine any people more easy to get on with." "Then I will begin to learn it at once. You will help me, won't you, Mr Glanton?" Great Heavens! What was this? I began to see all over the world, as if my head was screwed on all ways at once. Would I help her? Oh, wouldn't I! Here was a bond of union set up between us--one that would afford me ample pretext for riding over here very often: that would bring us together often and constantly. It seemed as if a new and very bright world had opened in front of me--and yet and yet--what an utter fool I was--I, Godfrey Glanton, prosaic knockabout trader in the Zulu, and not a particularly young one at that! CHAPTER FOUR. MY NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSEHOLD. "Ha, Glanton! Glad to see you!" cried the Major, shaking me heartily by the hand. "Why, I was beginning to wonder when we should see you again. Was afraid you had started again on some up-country trip, and by Jove, there are one or two things I want your opinion about. We'll talk of them bye and bye." "All right, Major. Only too glad to be of use."