"What!" cried the doctor, bending down over the seated visitor. "Impossible! Look here, Sir James; it is; and his wound has closed up again as if he were made of india-rubber. Splendid! Why, he has followed us right across this veldt." "I shouldn't wonder," said Mark, "if he has followed us all the way. Oh, no, he could not have done that. He must have come across from this side of the forest. We are going to give him some breakfast, father, before he goes back. Is that right?" "Of course, my boy," said Sir James, walking up and gently patting the pigmy on the shoulder. "Well, I like this, doctor. It shows the little fellow's grateful; but I should like to see him smile." "He did just now, father." "No, not quite, uncle," said Dean; "only very nearly." Dan was not long getting the morning meal ready, and Mark took upon himself to supply the visitor's wants. But the pigmy now showed that he had notions of his own, for he walked straight away and dropped down by the side of Mak, whose breakfast he shared along with the men. "I like that, Mr Mark, sir," said Dan. "The little chap looks quite a gentleman in his way; and he acted as such too, didn't he, Buck?" "Ay," growled the big driver. "There arn't much of him, but he makes the most of it; don't he, Bob?" "Yes," said Bob, laughing. "Peter Dance and me have been talking him over. We should like to take him home with us. They would give anything we liked to ask for him in London, to put in a circus or a show." "Indeed!" said Mark, with a snort. "Thank you! But you had better not let your master hear you talk like that, Bob. He'd begin making your ears warm by telling you what the slave trade was. This little fellow's a visitor, and my cousin and I want you men to treat him well. No nonsense, sir. He has only come to stay till we start, and then he is going back to the forest." But nothing seemed farther from the pigmy's thoughts, for when a fresh start was made, with the distant kopjes and piles of stone now hidden by the heated haze, the little chief shouldered his spear, crossed to the Illaka's side, and marching beside him, two steps to his one, kept abreast. "I do like that, Mr Mark, sir," said Dan. "Look at old Brown going along yonder with his foreloping. Why, it would take three of that little chap to make one of he, and I don't know how many of him to weigh down Buck Denham in a pair of scales. But is the little one coming along with us?" "I suppose so," said Mark: "eh, Dean?" he continued, and signing to him to follow he dropped back a few paces and continued to his cousin, "I have only just thought of it; he is coming with us to show where they find the gold." "Why, of course!" cried Dean. "I might have thought of that." "Yes, but you didn't. Here, let's go and tell father and the doctor. Come on! And then I'll give you your chance. You tell them just as if it had occurred to you."