Thomas, true to his principles, insisted on
beginning with the church and letting the mission-house stand over,
although Dorcas, small blame to her, complained at being obliged to live
for an indefinite time in a hut like a Kaffir woman. However, as usual,
she was obliged to give way.
As it chanced, here there was little difficulty about building
operations, for stone and wood and _tambuki_ grass for thatching were
all at hand in plenty. Also the Basuto section of the Sisa, as is common
among that race, were clever masons and carpenters, some of them having
followed those trades in Natal and the more settled places in Zululand,
where dwellings had to be erected. Moreover, they possessed wagons, and
now that the dry season was approaching were able to fetch stores of
every kind from the borders of Natal. Lastly, thanks to Dorcas's banking
account, money was by comparison no object, an unusual circumstance
where missionaries are concerned.
So all the week Thomas laboured at these matters and at making himself
acquainted with his congregation, and all Sunday he held open-air
services or taught in the ruins of the old church.
Thus in the midst of so many new interests matters went on not
uncomfortably, and Dorcas became more or less reconciled to her life.
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