CHOOSING A COMPANION 



IV 



For two months Coates was my companion on the 

 game veldt, then business reasons compelled him to 

 return to London, and I found myself looking for 

 someone to replace him. It is not always an easy 

 matter to meet with a man whom you can trust. I 

 do not mean trust financially, but trust in the wider 

 sense — trust not to growl at the inevitable hardships 

 of Ufe in the open, trust not to imagine he is dying 

 if he gets a touch of fever, trust not to be nervous 

 when the lions begin to prowl round the camp; in 

 short, someone who will play the game. 



You never really know what there is in a man until 

 you have got him well out of touch of civilisation. 

 He may be the most charming companion possible 

 on board ship or in the hotel, but when there are only 

 he and yourself matters are apt to be different. He 

 may try to be masterful and attempt to " boss things ; " 

 he may be slack and cause you maddening delays ; 

 he may object to trekking in the early mornings when 

 the dew is on the long grass ; or he may be one of 

 those who race round, firing wildly at everything he 

 sees, and scaring all the game in the vicinity. Then 

 there is the man who quarrels with the boys, and the 

 man who spoils them by undue familiarity, the man 



95 



