Congo looked pleased; and though he would not promise to bring us any meat, we saw that he would.  Now, we did not care so much about the meat, but we thought that, by asking him a favour which he could easily grant, we might gain his interest.  It was a compliment to him, and made him feel as if he were our superior, for the time being at all events. The next day, at dinner time, he brought us a very nice piece of boiled beef and some potatoes.  We consulted what we could give him in return. Our knives were too valuable to part with, but Jerry had a silver pencil-case, which he offered to him.  Old Tom asked what it was for, and when told to write with, he grinned from ear to ear, observing that, as he could not write even his own name, it would be of no manner of use to him; but that he thanked us all the same.