camp in the hills it seemed he would be much better 

 off and much happier. When I got back to Barberton 

 that night he was waiting for me, with a tag of chewed 

 rope hanging round his neck, not the least ashamed 

 of himself, but openly rejoicing in the meeting and 

 evidently never doubting that I was equally pleased. 

 And he was quite right there. 



But it could not go on. One day as he lay asleep 

 behind me, a loaded waggon coming sharply round a 

 corner as nearly as possible passed over him. The wheel 

 was within inches of his back as he lay asleep in the 

 sand : there was no chance to grab it was a rush and 

 a kick that saved him ; and he rolled over under the 

 waggon, and found his own way out between the wheels. 



A few days after this Ted passed through Barberton, 

 and I handed Jock over to him, to keep and to care 

 for until I had a better and safer home for him. 

 ***** 



One day some two years later there turned up at 

 my quarters an old friend of the transport days 

 Harry Williams he had been away on a long trek 

 ' up north ' to look for some supposed mine of 

 fabulous richness of which there had been vague and 

 secret reports from natives. He stayed with me 

 for some days, and one evening after the bout of fever 

 and ague had passed off and rest and good feeding had 

 begun to pull him round, he told us the story of their 

 search. It was a trip of much adventure, but it was 

 the end of his story that interested me most ; and 

 that is all that need be told here. 



They had failed to find the mine ; the native who 



455 



