THE GRIZZLY BEAR. 217 



He was not only a very able man in liis business, 

 but a very skilful hunter, and one of the most intel- 

 ligent explorers of the North American desert. I 

 once had occasion to do him a service, and he gave 

 me in return all the information I required. And 

 yet the service was not a very important one. A 

 slave was put into prison, and I had obtained his 

 liberation. 



I was quite at a loss to account for the warmth 

 with which Jeffery thanked me for my good offices, 

 and questioned him on the subject. " "Well," said 

 he, " I ought to. take care of Sambo, for he once 

 saved my life." 



" Saved your life ! " I cried in astonishment; " why, 

 how did that happen ?" 



" True enough," said he. " Ten years ago I 

 bought him. He was then only a child twelve years 

 old, though he looked much older. He was then ver)^ 

 ill of fever, and I took him home and cured him." 



" Then you saved his life before he saved yours," 

 said I. 



" Very likely ; though he might have got over it 

 without me. These niggers are terribly hard-lived. 

 However, I was taking a journey with a trail of 

 wagons to Santa Fe. I had ten black servants from 

 Mozambique, and the rest were Canadians. I had 

 picked up the most of them at St. Louis. During 

 the journe}'' I made several hunting excursions, 

 leaving the wagons to the servants. They were well 



