286 
BOBBERS. 
me. That lie may pursue his course with an 
easy mind, I have carefully hid from him the 
true state of matters. What would he say if he 
knew that a band of thieves made a raid on me 
the other night, and lifted everything that was 
readily portable ? A large bundle of trading- 
cloth was taken entire, with the clothes I had 
worn in the day-time, my washing-basin, a ham 
which depended from the rafters of the verandah, 
and various trifling articles which I have no 
means of securing, as there is no door of any 
kind in the liut. I was awakened by a slight 
creaking of the floor under their stealthy tread, 
and involuntarily called out, but refrained from 
any fuss, on consideration that it was wiser to 
let the thieves take all than incite them to mur- 
der me in order to ensure my silence. But I ara 
very uneasy, and grant you that it was foolhardy 
to encounter the risk of living thus alone, with- 
out reliable protection. Matrass did not return 
from Billy till the morning of the third day, 
and I had to endure two nights of twenty- 
three men snoring and grunting and harassing 
my strained nerves with their sepulchral bron- 
chial coughs. But I could readily forgive him, 
for this secured me comparative ease of mind 
during the night, although their presence in the 
