FUNDI 



Sasa says you are half gunbearer. He was wrong. 

 You are all porter; and you know no more than they 

 do. It is in our mind to put you back to carrying a 

 load. If you do not wish to taste the kiboko, you 

 can take a load to-morrow." 



"The kiboko, bwana," pleaded Fundi, very 

 abashed and humble. 



"Furthermore," we added crushingly, "you did 

 not even hit the rhinoceros!" 



So with all ceremony he got the kiboko. The 

 incident did him a lot of good, and toned down his 

 exuberance somewhat. Nevertheless he still re- 

 quired a good deal of training, just as does a promis- 

 ing bird dog in its first season. Generally his faults 

 were of over-eagerness. Indeed, once he got me 

 thoroughly angry in face of another rhinoceros by 

 dancing just out of reach with the heavy rifle, in- 

 stead of sticking close to me where I could get at 

 him. I temporarily forgot the rhino, and ad- 

 vanced on Fundi with the full intention of 

 knocking his fool head off. Whereupon this six 

 feet something of most superb and insolent 

 pride wilted down to a small boy with his elbow 

 before his face. 



"Don't hit, bwana! Don't hit!" he begged. 



The whole thing was so comical, especially with 

 Memba Sasa standing by virtuous and scornful, 



207 



