Well,
you should hear Eddie tell the story of how he brought down the
bull _bongo_ with his last cartridge after all the _pongos_, or
native bearers, had fled into the _dongo_, or undergrowth."
"I should love to!" whispered Betty, her eyes glowing. I suppose to an
impressionable girl these things really are of absorbing interest. For
myself, _bongos_ intrigue me even less than _pongos_, while
_dongos_ frankly bore me. "When do you expect him?"
"He will get my wire tonight. I'm hoping we shall see the dear old
fellow tomorrow afternoon some time. How surprised old Eddie will be to
hear that I'm engaged. He's such a confirmed bachelor himself. He told
me once that he considered the wisest thing ever said by human tongue
was the Swahili proverb--'Whoso taketh a woman into his kraal
depositeth himself straightway in the _wongo_.' _Wongo_, he
tells me, is a sort of broth composed of herbs and meat-bones,
corresponding to our soup. You must get Eddie to give it you in the
original Swahili. It sounds even better."
I saw the girl's eyes flash, and there came into her face that peculiar
set expression which married men know.
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