The talk went round in low exchanges until at last 

 the old man moved closer and joined the circle ; and 

 then the other voices dropped out, only to be heard 

 ; once in a while in some brief question or that briefest 

 of all comments the kaffir click and " Ow ! " It 

 may mean anything, according to the tone, but it was 

 clearly sympathetic on that occasion. The old man's 

 voice went on monotonously in a low-pitched impas- 

 sive tone ; but the boys hung intent on every word 

 to the end. Then one or two questions, briefly 

 answered in the same tone of detached philosophic 

 indifference, brought their talk to a close. The old 

 fellow tapped his carved wood snuff-box with the 

 carefully-preserved long yellowish nail of one fore- 

 finger, and pouring some snuff into the palm of his 

 hand, drew it into each nostril in turn with long luxu- 

 rious sniffs ; and then, resting his arms on his knees, 

 he relapsed into complete silence. 



We called the boys to start work again, and they 

 came away, as is their custom, without a word or look 

 towards the man whose story had held them for the 

 last half-hour. Nor did he speak or stir, but sat on 

 unmoved, a picture of stoical indifference. But who 

 can say if it be indifference or fatalism or the most 

 astute diplomacy ? Among white men opinions differ : 

 I put it down as fatalism. 



We asked no questions, for we knew it was no 

 accident that had brought the old man our way : 

 he wanted something, and we would learn soon enough 

 what it was. So we waited. 



As we gathered round the fallen tree to finish the 



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