THE OLD SCOTCH COLONEL 49 



And in all my shooting I was never charged, sir, but 

 once, and that was by a male ostrich, sir. Yes, sir, a 

 male ostrich. They'll always charge ye, sir. 



Yes, I killed a hippo, too, and came near getting a 

 shot at a rhino. 



I do hope, Mr. I beg your pardon again oh, yes, Mr. 

 Martindale, I do hope your president, of whom I think 

 a great deal, will come back from Africa safe. Did 

 you ever meet him ? You did, and talked with him ? 

 On hunting, too ? Give me your hand, sir. I want to 

 shake hands with any man who knows the president 

 personally. 



Do you think he's brave enough to go to Africa ? 

 You say that his charge at the head of the Kough 

 Riders at San Juan was the whole thing of the war. 

 But, man, that was nothing. One British regiment 

 could have swept the whole kit of them Spaniards off 

 the island. We did not do that with the Boers ? Yes, 

 but the Boers could shoot and fight, too yes, sir, and 

 fight, too but them Spaniards they were away from 

 home, sir, and they had no very good treatment, either, 

 an' perhaps, sir, they were homesick. But anyway, 

 one English regiment would have swept them into the 

 sea, sir. 



There's one thing I do not like the president for if 

 you'll forgive me for saying it ; he has too many pic- 

 tures taken. You say the Emperor William has fifty to 

 his one? But, sir, he's a fool he's a fool, sir a 



