Trent didn't hesitate, I can tell you. There were no
arguments or promises with him. He chucked Cathcart on the spot,
turned him out of the place, and swore he'd make the road himself.
I asked if I might stop, and I think he was glad, anyhow we've been
ever such pals ever since, and I never expect to have such a time
again as long as I live! But do you know, Auntie, we've about made
that road. When I see what we've done, sometimes I can't believe
it. I only wish some of the bigwigs who've never been out of an
office could see it. I know I'll hate to come away.
"You'd never believe the time we had - leaving out the fighting,
which I am coming to by and by. We were beastly short of all sorts
of machinery and our labour was awful. We had scarcely any at
first, but Trent found 'em somehow, Kru boys and native Zulus
and broken-down Europeans - any one who could hold a pick. More
came every day, and we simply cut our way through the country. I
think I was pretty useful, for you see I was the only chap there
who knew even a bit about engineering or practical surveying, and
I'd sit up all night lots of times working the thing out. We had
a missionary came over the first Sunday, and wanted to preach, but
Trent stopped him. 'We've got to work here,' he said, 'and Sunday
or no Sunday I can't let my men stop to listen to you in the cool
of the day.
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