often have you forgiven me when I have done wrong? How often have you
not flogged me when I should have been flogged for being drunk and other
things--yes, even when once I stole some of your powder and sold it to
buy square-face gin, though it is true I knew it was bad powder, not fit
for you to use? Did I thank you then overmuch? Why therefore should you
thank me who have done but a little thing, not really to help you but
because, as you know, I love gambling, and was told that this bit of
paper would soon be worth much more than I gave for it. If it had proved
so, should I have given you that money? No, I should have kept it myself
and bought a bigger farm and more cattle."

"Hans," I said sternly, "if you lie so hard, you will certainly go to
hell, as the Predikant, my father, often told you."

"Not if I lie for you, Baas, or if I do it doesn't matter, except that
then we should be separated by the big kloof written of in the Book,
especially as there I should meet the Baas Jacob, as I very much want to
do for a reason of my own."

Not wishing to pursue this somewhat unchristian line of thought, I
inquired of him why he felt happy.

"Oh! Baas," he answered with a twinkle in his little black eyes, "can't
you guess why? Now you have very little money left and I have none at
all. Therefore it is plain that we must go somewhere to earn money,
and I am glad of that, Baas, for I am tired of sitting on that farm out
there and growing mealies and milking cows, especially as I am too old
to marry, Baas, as you are tired of looking for gold where there isn't
any and singing sad songs in that house of meeting yonder like you did
this afternoon. Oh! the Great Father in the skies knew what He was about