A SURPEISE, 
that hill twice a day : it will be the sanie time yoh 
know, and instead of him arriving at the Working 
place tired and done out, he will be quite fresh, and 
in fact the value of the horse will soon be repaid, if 
we take everything into consideration. But, by the 
bye,” says Easy, looking up the hill, as the setting 
sun cast its rays on the red earth, cutting off the 
new roads, what a lot of nicely traced roads are 
cut. Pereanj I did not expect you would have trou- 
bled yourself tracing roads for me ; I am for ever 
indebted to you.” Perean laughed and said, “This 
is the first time I have been on the estate since you 
left.” 
“Well,” says Easy, “who traced them, for any one caii 
see, even at this distance, that they are well traced ? 
Bid you employ a man ?” “Well,” says Perean, “the 
man that traced them was Smith.” “ Smith ! None 
of your joking. What does he know about roads ?” 
The reply was, “ Wait till to-morrow morning 
and see ?” To-morrow morning came, and Mr. Easy 
was up long before the sun, all rigged out, long 
staff in hand, for a toilsome ascent up the hill. 
After partaking of coffee with his friend — who had 
remained the night, he goes out to the verandah, and 
is somewhat startled at seeing the two horses, sad- 
dled, standing at the door. “ Why, w^hat is this”? 
says he. “To ride up the hill,” says Perean. “You 
can ride up to the very top.” “But how are the 
streams crossed ? Y'ou surely have not ordered the 
bridges that I was going to write for from England.” 
Mr. Eas3r’s astonishment may be imagined, when told 
that bridges there were none ; they Were quite un- 
necessary, and, as they rode up the hill, it was ex- 
plained to him, how Smith had looked out for good 
natural crossings, and had conformed the trace of 
his roads in order to meet them. So that all these 
crossings required was a mason, d uring the dry season, 
to lay down flat slab stones, which, if well laid and 
packed, would stand any ordinary flood, arid then, 
in event of continued rains, large blocks of step- 
ping-stones were laid on the crossings, so that one 
could step across, dry-shod. Mr. Easy said no- 
thing, but, as he approached, and crossed the crossings, 
paused and took a good look at them, and seemed to be 
thinking a great deal; at last he said, “I had no idea 
Smith was such a sharp fellow. In fact, I think I had 
better go away again.” But Perean replied, “Why 
go away : why, if you prefer it, not stop on your own 
estate, and amuse or enjoy yourself, and let Smith alone ; 
leave him to manage and work the estate, just the 
®ame as if you were absent ?” 
Mr. Easy said he did not believe either himself or 
