A GATHERING OF FRIENDS. 87 



time after time on the subject, and now so far on the 

 way to find ourselves saddled with this Old Man of the 

 Sea : well, it shall not be I'll leave him on the velt first ! 



But hospitality was our first duty ; so at the next 

 outspanning-place the cattle were released from their 

 yokes. As grass was abundant, the poor brutes would 

 be the better for the holiday, and thus all would benefit. 

 Out of the sail-cloth we made a tent big enough to 

 shelter a sub-division of infantry. The cooking-pots 

 were got out, fires lighted, and I doffed my coat and 

 turned cook once more. Mr. Prefer had in the 

 goodness of his heart brought an abundance of cham- 

 pagne, all of which, with the exception of one victim, 

 was sent down to a neighbouring spring, there to cool 

 till about to be immolated. 



We were all so happy no, there was one sad one : 

 poor Holly was dreadfully cut up at his past conduct, 

 so much so that he could not be induced to join us. 

 What he had done was of the past, so Morris and I 

 determined to think no more of it, but to receive him 

 again into the brotherhood, unless by any means such a 

 step could be avoided. I feel that no one can blame us ; 

 for while he had nothing to do we permitted him with- 

 out interference to act as he liked, but when the first 

 call had been made upon him after the great expense we 

 had gone to on his account he had betrayed his trust, 

 and through wilful negligence, or worse, seriously injured 

 our property and prospects. 



Let us change the subject. We enjoyed ourselves 

 to our hearts' content to describe the merry-making on 

 such occasions is tedious we had enough and to suffice 

 of all good things, and turned in at an early hour tired 

 -and anxious to court repose. 



