So they followed the broad, turfy track which commenced to ascend the flank of a down. On the right hand the great trees rose higher and higher into the sky; on the left the ground sloped away to the level of the little lake with its swans and water-lilies; and the turf near at hand was dark blue and purple-green with the bugle in flower. In the ascending woodland there were tall ranks of red-mauve foxgloves. Here the owner of the park had placed an ample wooden seat for the delectation of all who loved landscape beauty. John threw himself down with heavy abandonment on the grey planks. Had he been alone he would certainly have taken off his boots to ease his hot and compressed feet, but some instinct told him his betrothed might not think the action seemly. Lucy stood for a few moments gazing at the view over the Kennet valley and then sat down beside him. "How dreadfully you perspire, my poor John," she said, looking at the wet red hand which clasped the rail of the seat. "Yes. The least amount of walking makes me hot." "Well, but how will you be able to stand Africa?" "Oh, it’s a different kind of heat there, I believe. Besides, you don’t have to go about in a black coat, a waistcoat and a starched shirt; except perhaps at service time on Sundays." "What a pity black clothes seem to be necessary to holiness!"—(then seeing a frown settling on his face) "I wonder whether we shall see anything so beautiful as _this_ out there?" "As beautiful as what? Oh! The view. Well, I s’pose so. I believe there are some high mountains and plenty of forest near the place where I am to live." "What is its name?" "Hangodi, I think—something like that. Bayley says it means ’the Place of Firewood.’" "Oh, _that_ doesn’t sound pretty at all; just as if there were nothing but dead sticks lying about. I hoped there would be plenty of palms and those things you see in the pictures of African travel books—with great broad leaves—plantains? Is it a village?" "Hangodi? I believe so. I think the chief reason it has been chosen is its standing high up on a mountain and being near water." "Oh, John," said Lucy after a minute’s silence, "I _do_ look forward to joining you in Africa. I’ve always wanted to travel, ever since I won a geography prize at school. Just think what wonderful things we shall see. Elephants and lions and tigers. Will there be tigers? Of _course_ not. I ought to have remembered they’re only found in India. But at any rate there will be beautifully spotted leopards, and lions roaring at night, and hippopotamuses in the rivers and antelopes on the plains. And ostriches? Do you think there will be any ostriches, John?" "My dear, how do _I_ know? Besides, we are not going out to Africa to look for ostriches and lions, Lucy," said John, rather solemnly. "We have a great work before us, a _great_ work. There is a mighty harvest to be gathered for the Lord."