A SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE. 
<ance to a pegu, but he was not a pegu. When be 
mounted his pony the stirrup was not used, he gave a 
leap at once into the saddle ; when seated his feet 
were so near the ground that it was often a source of 
wonder they did not trip on some protuberance, and 
bring down both with a smash. The animal had only 
one pace, and that was a canter ; the moment the 
rider’s leg was over his back, he would start off at a 
canter until he was pulled up. In this case it was 
difficult to tell whether the rider dismounted or was 
gently thrown off* on his feet. The reins would then 
be thrown over the nearest coffee tree, and Mr. Sandy 
would proceed to the working place. During his ab- 
sence, the pony, who was very fond of coffee leaves, 
would make a steady attack on the tree over which 
the reins had been thrown, eating off all the young 
shoots and tender leaves, so that, if the works requiring 
to be visited were in any way numerous, Mr. Sandy’s 
pony left distinct and permanent marks that they had 
been visited. The animal was very hard-worked, as 
Mr. Sandy never walked if he could possibly ride. 
Thus, although the store was only five minutes’ walk 
from the bungalow, and he had been engaged in the 
former all day measuring coffee, writing letters, and 
drawing caricatures, yet, when his work was done for 
the day, he would send a cooly to the bungalow, and 
order his pony to the store. 
During the course of events, the manager resigned 
his situation, and a day was fixed for leaving, and the 
arrival of a successor. Mr. Sandy seemed sad, for 
there can be no doubt he entertained a considerable 
amount of respect and esteem for his superior. He 
declared his intention of leaving also, but was told 
he could not, or should not do so, without advising 
the agency firm who had sent him up. So he 
wrote to Colombo, handing in his resignation, but in 
so little esteem did they hold it that no notice what- 
‘ever was taken. Mr. Sandy was excessively annoyed. 
In his own estimation it was quite apparent the 
agency firm did not wish him to leave, and took 
this very undignified way of preventing his leaving, 
but he was not to be done, not he : he would leave 
in spite of them ! So carts were procured, and the 
whole of his luggage sent off, his account was balanced, 
chewing that he owed his superior about thirty pounds 
for board ; this he put in his pocket, without saying 
a word, without even saying he would pay it at some 
future period. He cantered off on the white and red 
pony, and was never more heard of : what became of 
him no one knew or cared. These sudden disap- 
pearances were nothing unusual, more especially when 
