304 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALI LAND 



" There are three hundred and sixty-five days in 

 the year, I believe," said the offended lady, frigidly. 



The old husband was much more likeable, and we 

 got on well with him when we were allowed a look in. 

 He had a pretty wit, and told stories in an inimitable 

 manner, though not always of come-in-with-the-fish 

 variety. Indeed, some of his anecdotes could better 

 have made an entree with the curry. I dare say so 

 much camp life had roughened him a little. When 

 Madam waxed sarcastic, and scornfully told him a 

 tale was too far fetched he would say quite good- 

 humouredly he could never fetch his stories from far 

 enough, as he was for ever seeing the light of auld 

 lang syne in some eye. He had that best and most 

 useful of gifts, the power to say things apropos at just 

 the right moment. Most of us think them up afterwards 

 when it is too late. Such a power is a gift worth having 

 from the gods, just as malapropisms come from another 

 quarter. 



The traveller's bungalow affected to put us all up. 

 Ralph said it was affectation merely, as the place was 

 so crowded out he slept with his feet through the 

 window ! 



Anything that was likely to be of the least use to him 

 we gave to Clarence, to his great joy, and his choice 

 did fall on some quaint things. An ordinary English 

 axe was his first selection ; he passed over the native 

 ones in lofty scorn. In addition to these few simple 

 gifts we decided to bestow on him, as a mark of our 

 immense appreciation of the good work done, our 

 spare 12-bore, in order that he might go out on his 



