kopje."

Gregory crossed and uncrossed his legs.

"Well, I think I'll just go and have a look about," he said, "and see how
things are getting on before I go to the camps. Good-bye; so long."

Em left for a while the bags she was folding and went to the window, the
same through which, years before, Bonaparte had watched the slouching
figure cross the yard. Gregory walked to the pigsty first, and
contemplated the pigs for a few seconds; then turned round, and stood
looking fixedly at the wall of the fuel-house as though he thought it
wanted repairing; then he started off suddenly with the evident intention
of going to the ostrich-camps; then paused, hesitated, and finally walked
off in the direction of the kopje.

Then Em went back to the corner and folded more sacks.

On the other side of the kopje Gregory caught sight of a white tail waving
among the stones, and a succession of short, frantic barks told where Doss
was engaged in howling imploringly to a lizard who had crept between two
stones, and who had not the slightest intention of re-sunning himself at
that particular moment.

The dog's mistress sat higher up, under the shelving rock, her face bent
over a volume of plays upon her knee. As Gregory mounted the stones she
started violently and looked up; then resumed her book.

"I hope I am not troubling you," said Gregory as he reached her side. "If
I am I will go away. I just--"