with them and they have been just as honest in return."

"Sounds very attractive," muttered Deppingham sceptically.

"I should think they'd be terribly tempted," said Lady Agnes. "They look
so wretchedly poor."

"They _are_ a bit out at the knees," said her husband, with a great
laugh.

"My lady," said Bowles, "there are but four poor men on the island:
myself and the three Englishmen who operate the bank. There isn't a poor
man, woman or child among the natives. This is truly a land of rich men.
The superintendent of the mines is a white man--a German--and the three
foremen are Boers. They work on shares just as the natives do and save
even more, I think. The clerical force is entirely native. There were
but ten white men here before you came, including two Greeks. There are
no beggars. Perhaps you noticed that no one was asking for alms as you
came up."

"'Gad, I should say we did," exclaimed Deppingham ruefully. "There
wasn't even a finger held out to us. But is this a holiday on the
island?"

"A holiday, my lord?"

"Yes. No one seems to be at work."

"Oh? I see. Being part owners the natives have decided that four hours
constitutes a day's work. They pay themselves accordingly, as it were.