At his death, four years afterwards, she had been given her freedom, being now past fifty, and had taken service with Gregory Hilliard and his wife.

Her vocabulary was a large one, and she was acquainted with most of the dialects of the Soudan tribes.
From the time when her husband was first missing, Mrs.Hilliard cherished the idea that, some day, the child might grow up and search for his father; and, perhaps, ascertain his fate beyond all doubt.

She was a very conscientious woman, and was resolved that, at whatever pain to herself, she would, when once certain of her husband's death, go to England and obtain recognition of his boy by his family.

But it was pleasant to think that the day was far distant when she could give up hope.

She saw, too, that if the Soudan was ever reconquered, the knowledge of the tribal languages must be of immense benefit to her son; and she therefore insisted, from the first, that the woman should always talk to him in one or other of the languages that she knew.
Thus Gregory, almost unconsciously, acquired several of the dialects used in the Soudan.