My wife tried to induce them to eat with knives and forks, but they were much more at home with their fingers. Sheep are the choice animals for ceremonial sacrifice in their own land. Hence they cast longing eyes on the black-faced variety that pastured on the hills near my home, and kept asking me to kill one for them for _Sadaka_ (almsgiving); and so that they might take the skin to Nigeria: “To show all the people for Kano the plenty fine hair [wool] that live for _Rago_ [sheep] in England.” [Illustration: ALI AND SAKARI IN ENGLAND] In their newly found domestic life, one of the greatest delights to Ali and Sakari was _to possess a whole bar of Sunlight soap_, and they were seized with a passion for washing themselves and their clothes whenever they obtained such luxury. Thus, in endless ways, they slowly absorbed the atmosphere of their novel surroundings with artless, unsullied minds and constant good-humour. They saw things as they existed with innocent penetration and directness; and ever they came back to such remarks as: “White man go catch plenty plenty sense; everybody catch plenty clothes; everybody catch plenty to eat. This no be desert; this country sweet past all country.” But they came to be greatly exercised because: “When we go give this big news of England to people for Kano we will have so much to tell that plenty people no fit go believe us.” Wherefore, to prove that, at least, they had been in this country, they made an extraordinary request. This was _to remove two perfectly good teeth from their heads and have gold ones inserted_, so that: “When we go for Kano and people no fit believe we go look this country, we say, ‘Ah! ah! you be fool man. Look them Gold Teeth!’ And so they will be convinced; for our people no savvy them sense for put gold for head.” Their request, which was a persistent one, was finally granted, and Ali and Sakari became the proud possessors of “gold for head.” Ali had, then, only one great ambition left: to some day make the pilgrimage to Mecca, which is the dream of so many true Mohammedans: “And then I be BIG past all men that live for Kano.” Sakari, on the other hand, planned the disposal of the money he had earned: “When I go Kano I buy another wife, _fine past the one that live now_. “After that I go buy house from Emir.” Asked how much a house would cost, he replied: “They be different, sir! Some get £15; some get £10; some get £6 to £7. If buy him so, all the time he be my own.” Then he added: “But I no look for front [forward] too much, Master! for it will be like the _Tenere_ [desert] when you are gone.” They were faithful, able men, and when the parting came it was one of deep regret, filled with distressing artless emotion on the part of Ali and Sakari; which revealed the wonderful fidelity of these two fine henchmen of the Open Road, who had stuck with the expedition through thick and thin.