The Sorrows of a House Martin 33 



know you do, for father told us) why do you ever 

 come back ? Of course we're very glad to see you 

 here," she added, with an air of politeness caught 

 from her mother, " but it seems to me that you 

 are very odd in your ways." 



The Martin paused for a moment. " I really 

 don't quite know," he presently said ; " I never 

 thought about it : we always do come here, and 

 our ancestors always came, so I suppose we 

 shall go on doing it. Besides, this is really our 

 home. We were born here, you see, and when 

 the heat begins in South Africa there comes 

 a strange feeling in our hearts, a terrible home- 

 sickness, and we must go." 



" Then when you are once at home, why do 

 you leave it to go away again so far ? " asked 

 Gwenny. 



41 My dear," said the Martin, " if you will 

 listen, and not ask so many questions beginning 

 with ' why,' you may possibly learn something 

 about it. Let me begin again. When we left 

 Africa this year we went our usual way by some 

 big islands in a broad blue sea, where we can 

 rest, you know, and stay a day or two to recruit 



D 



