JIM CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT. 181 



nature by the amusing antics that he performed. 

 Besides, he was a really good-looking fellow, and 

 nothing seemed to damp his animal spirits, which caused 

 him to become most popular among his companions. 

 My appreciation of him was marked by my having 

 advanced him to the post of assistant-driver, with the 

 prospect of becoming chief. His wages also had been 

 doubled. 



After I had seen that good fires were lighted, and 

 everything snug for the night, I turned into the wagon, 

 and went to bed. Till I fell asleep, I heard Jacob, 

 Umganey, and Jim carrying on a most animated dis- 

 cussion, which several times terminated with, " Jim a 

 good boy ! Jim a good boy ! " If I had thought at the 

 moment that my affection had been misplaced, that this 

 scoundrel was harbouring guile, I would have been out 

 of bed in an instant, and reproached him with his 

 duplicity ; but such a thought never entered my brain. 

 I went to sleep, confident of the affection of my fol- 

 lowers. 



Next morning, in mustering my people, Jim was 

 absent. At first I thought he had wandered off into 

 the village, so took no notice of the matter ; but when 

 it became time for the cattle to be put in the yoke, 

 and he did not make his appearance, I became sus- 

 picious. 



At length Jacob informed me that he thought Jim 

 had run away, for all his clothes were gone. Even then 

 I could not believe it to be true, for I had always 

 treated him with kindness and consideration ; and were 

 not his last words ringing in my ears " Jim a good 

 boy ! Jim a good boy ?" 



But as the day waxed older there ceased to be any 



