“No, never.”
“Well then, you shall do so now, and I’ll show you how the niggers here make an omelet.”
He planted the huge egg in the hot ashes as he spoke, and kept stirring its contents with a piece of stick until sufficiently cooked.
“Not bad,—eh?”
“Glorious!” exclaimed Considine, smacking his lips.
Both youths continued to smack their lips over the egg until it was finished, after which Charlie pronounced it not only a glorious but a satisfying morsel. This was doubtless true, for an ostrich egg is considered equal to twenty-four hen’s eggs.
Returning to the springbok steaks, the half-starved youth continued his repast, while Hans Marais, having finished, extended his huge frame beside the camp-fire, leaned upon his saddle, and smoked his pipe in benignant contemplation of his companion.
“This is pleasant!” said Charlie, pausing, with a sigh, and looking up.
“Ja, it is pleasant,” replied Hans.
“Ja!” repeated Charlie, quoting the Dutch “Yes” of the other; “are you a Dutchman?”