And what's the use of being a privileged friend of the family if you can't be rude ?' Drake came to the rescue.

'Mr.Le Mesurier is quite right,' said he.
'Incidents of the kind I mentioned are best left untold.' 'I don't doubt it,' said Fielding.

'A man loses all sight of humanitarian principles the moment he's beyond view of a fireside.' 'Oh, does he ?' replied Drake.

'The man by the fireside is apt to confuse sentiment with humanitarian principles; and sentiment, I admit, you have to get rid of when you find yourself surrounded with savages.' 'Exactly! You become assimilated with the savages, and retain only one link between yourself and civilisation.' 'And that link ?' 'Is a Maxim gun.' 'My dear fellow, that's nonsense,' Drake answered in some heat.

'It's easy enough to sit here and discuss humanitarian principles, but you need a pretty accurate knowledge of what they are, and what they are not, before you begin to apply them recklessly beyond the reach of civilisation.