304 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
“ 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 after- 
wards 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 
