"I say, don't, little un. You're growing too clever, and attempts at jokes like that don't seem to fit out here in this hungry desert. Mind what you are about, or you'll spoil the tooth."

"I'm minding; but what did you mean about your _Nil desperandum_?"

"That I'll never despair. When we've tried everything we can out here, and failed, we'll go back home and settle in London. Something always turns up, and you're so handy, that we'll start as dentists, and you shall extract all the teeth."

"All right, Joe. My word! this is a tight one. But people wouldn't have their teeth taken out with hammer and chisel."

"You could use laughing gas."

"They wouldn't laugh much, gas or no gas," cried d.y.k.e, "if I got hold of their teeth with the pincers, like this. I say, this is a tough one.

He never had toothache in this. You have a go: your muscles are stronger than mine."

"No; have another try."

"But it makes me so hot."

"Never mind. Remember my crest and motto--doubled fist for determination, and 'Never despair.'"

"Who's going to despair over a big tooth?" cried d.y.k.e, holding on to the pincers with both hands, giving a good wrench, and tearing out the tusk.

"That's got him. Phew! it was a job. I say, they'll look well as curiosities."

"Yes, they're a fine set," said Emson, taking out his little double gla.s.s, and beginning slowly to sweep the plain.

"See anything?" asked d.y.k.e, as he rose to his feet, and put the hammer, chisel, and pincers in a leather case buckled behind his saddle, and washed his hands, drily, in sand.

"Not yet."

"Oh, do see something! We must get a buck of some kind to take home with us."

"Yes, we ought to get something, or Jack will forsake us because we are starving him; and take away his wife. You'll have to cook then, little un."

"Won't matter, if there's nothing to cook," said d.y.k.e sharply. "But, I say, Joe, you do think we are getting on better with the birds? Only two chicks have died since we took home those eggs."

"Only two," said Emson, rather bitterly. "That's one a week. Easily calculate how long we shall be in getting to the end of our stock."

"I say, what about your motto? Who's looking on the black side?"

"Guilty, my lord. Come along; jump up. We will have something or another to take back for a roast."

d.y.k.e sprang upon his horse, the dog gave a joyful bark, and they cantered off, d.y.k.e placing his rifle on his rein hand, while he rearranged the tusks in his pocket, to keep them from rattling.

"Which way are we going?" he said.

"Let's try west; we may perhaps see ostriches."

"Oh, don't talk about them," cried d.y.k.e; "I do get so tired of the wretches. I say, that young c.o.c.k number two showed fight at me this morning, and kicked. He just missed my leg."

"What? Oh, you must be careful, old chap. I can't afford to have your leg broken. But, I say, I had a look at the stores this morning before we started."

"I saw you, and wondered what you were doing."

"The mealie bag is nearly empty. One of us will have to take the wagon across to old Morgenstein's and buy stores."

"Why not both go? It would make a change."

"I'll tell you, little un. When we got back, half the birds would be dead, and the other half all over the veldt."

"Oh, bother those old ostriches! they're always in the way," cried d.y.k.e.

"All right, Joe; I'll stop and mind them, only don't be longer than you can help."

"I can't see how it can be done in less than ten days, old fellow," said Emson thoughtfully; "and if the old Boer is away, it may take a fortnight."

"All right; I won't mind," said d.y.k.e with a sigh. "I'll take care of the place, and I'm going to try some new plans. There shan't be a single bird die. I say, oughtn't those young birds to be out by now?"

"I've been expecting them every day for a week," said Emson, rather dolefully. "But, look here, little un: if you took Jack with you, do you think you could manage the journey yourself?"

d.y.k.e turned on his horse and looked quite startled.

"There's the driving."

"Jack would drive," said Emson hastily.

"And the inspanning and outspanning."

"Which he could see to."

"And camping out in the wagon alone."

"Yes: you'd want good fires every night; but I can't help it, old fellow. Only one could go, and you'd be happier with the work and excitement than you would be moping at the house, all alone, and watching for me to come back."

"But that would be just as bad for you, Joe; and you'd be thinking that the lions had got me."

"No, I shouldn't; but I should be trembling for the oxen, my boy.

There, I've made up my mind to send you, and you'll go."

"Oh, I'll go," said d.y.k.e st.u.r.dily; "but why not go to Oom Schlagen? it's twenty miles nearer. He has a much better lot of things and is more civil than Morgenstern."

"Yes, I know all that, little un," said Emson; "but Morgenstern is honest. He charges well for his corn and meal, but he'll give you just measure, and will deal with you as fairly as he would with me. Old Uncle Schlagen would, as soon as he saw you--a boy--coming alone, set to work to see if he couldn't rob you of a span of oxen, saying they were his, and trick you over the stores in every way he could."

"Then I'll go to old Morningstar's."

"You won't mind going?"

"Oh yes, I shall, because it will be so lonely; but I'll go."

"I don't like sending you, little un; and there's another difficulty."

"Oh, never mind that; it's all difficulties out here."