The door opened, and a curious couple entered. One was a great, burly sailor-man, who had been a quartermaster on board one of her Majesty’s ships at Cape Town, got drunk, overstayed his leave, and deserted rather than face the punishment; the other a quick, active little fellow, with a face like a ferret. He was a Zululand trader, who had ruined himself by drink, and a peculiarly valuable member of the corps on account of his knowledge of the country in which they were going to serve. Both the men saluted and stood at ease. “Well, my men, what is it?” asked Ernest, going on filling up his forms. “Nothing, so far as I am concerned, sir,” said the little man. Ernest looked up sharply at the quondam tar. “Now, Adam, your complaint; I have no time to waste.” Adam hitched up his breeches and began: “You see, sir, I brought _he_ here by the scruff of the neck.” “That’s true, sir,” said the little man, rubbing that portion of his body. “Because he and I, sir, as is messmates, sir, ’ad a difference of opinion. It was his day, you see, sir, to cook for our mess, and instead of putting on the pot, sir, he comes to me he does, and he says ‘Adam, you blooming father of a race of fools’—that’s what he says, sir, a-comparing of me to the gent who lived in a garden—‘why don’t you come and take the —— skins off the —— taters, instead of a-squatting of yourself down on that there —— bed!’” “Slightly in error, sir,” broke in the little man, suavely; “our big friend’s memory is not as substantial as his form. What I said was, ‘My _dear_ Adam, as I see you have nothing to occupy your time, except sit and play a jew’s-harp upon your _couch,_ would you be so kind as to come and assist me to remove the outer integument of these potatoes?’” Ernest began to explode, but checked himself, and said sternly: “Don’t talk nonsense, Adam; tell me your complaint.” “Well, sir,” answered the big sailor, scratching his head, “if I must give it a name, it is this—this here man, sir, be too _infarnal sargustic_.” “Be off with you both,” said Ernest, sternly, “and don’t trouble me with any such nonsense again, or I will put you both under arrest, and stop your pay. Come, march!” and he pointed to the door. As he did so he observed a Boer gallop swiftly past the house, and take the turn to Government House. “What is up now?” he wondered. Half an hour afterwards another man passed the window, also at full gallop, and also turned up towards Government House. Another half-hour passed, and Mr. Alston came hurrying in.