JOLLY, GOOD FELLOWS. ,. 401 



minutes after was up to her knees, gulping down the 

 craved-for liquid with apparently insatiable avidity. 



I had now time to look about, and with pleasure 

 discovered that three wagons were outspanned close by, 

 so I turned my steps towards them. The first I x came 

 to, the proprietor, a young Englishman of the name of 

 Curtin, came forth and welcomed me, begging that I 

 would become his guest till my own conveyance came 

 up. With gratitude I accepted the kindness, so dis- 

 mounted, and knee-haltered my horse. I then went to 

 the next wagon, in which I found the proprietor, Mr. 

 Catenby, who would hear of no refusal, but that he 

 should become my host; but having explained how a 

 previous arrangement would prevent this, he sent over 

 word to the gentleman I had spoken to first, to say that 

 he also would be one of his guests. The third wagon 

 belonged to a Boer, who could not speak English a 

 fine, tall, handsome specimen of a man, with the reputa- 

 tion of being an excellent hunter. 



I felt so thoroughly tired, that from sheer exhaustion 

 I threw myself on the ground ; but Mr. Catenby and 

 Mr. Curtin, kind, good-hearted fellows, produced a glass 

 of brandy, purloined from their small stock reserved for 

 medicinal purposes, the result of which was that in a 

 quarter of an hour I was myself again. 



This unexpected meeting was so pleasant, that we 

 agreed that as it was Saturday afternoon, all should 

 postpone trecking till next evening ; and as I was to be 

 their guest to-night, they would be mine at an early 

 hour on the morrow. 



Before sunset my wagon arrived, so travel-stained 

 and worn that it looked a sad, sorry affair when con- 

 trasted with their smart, painted, snow-white covered 



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