"I like it very much, _Meinheer_," said John.

"Ah, yes, it's a beautiful veldt, especially about here--no horse
sickness, no 'blue tongue,'[*] and a good strong grass for the cattle.
And you must find yourself very snug at _Oom_ Croft's there; it's the
nicest place in the district, with the ostriches and all. Not that
I hold with ostriches in this veldt; they are well enough in the old
colony, but they won't breed here--at least, not as they should do. I
tried them once and I know; oh, yes, I know."

[*] A disease that is very fatal to sheep.

"Yes, it's a very fine country, _Meinheer_. I have been all over the
world almost, and I never saw a finer."

"You don't say so, now! Almighty, what a thing it is to have travelled!
Not that I should like to travel myself. I think that the Lord meant us
to stop in the place He has made for us. But it is a fine country, and"
(dropping his voice) "I think it is a finer country than it used to be."

"You mean that the veldt has got 'tame', _Meinheer_?"

"Nay, nay. I mean that the land is English now," he answered
mysteriously, "and though I dare not say so among my _volk_, I hope that
it will keep English. When I was Republican, I was Republican, and
it was good in some ways, the Republic. There was so little to pay in
taxes, and we knew how to manage the black folk; but now I am English,
I am English. I know the English Government means good money and safety,
and if there isn't a _Raad_ (assembly) now, well, what does it matter?