A WOULD-BE ESTATE PROPBIETOE, OF THE 
OLDEN TIME. 
him, and continued his run ; the followers coming up 
tried to catch the pony, which made him run off 
also down the path after Mr Diddler. That gentleman 
was soon aware that an animal of some sort was 
running after him, and of course it was useless his 
turning to look, for it must be the elephant. Nearer 
and nearer the sound of the pursuing animal came ; 
he could hear the shouts of the Sinhalese — no doubt 
they were warning him to take care of the elephant. 
He had read an elephant might be dodged by taking 
a sharp and sudden turn, so he turned. In" doing so 
his foot caught in a noose, and he was brought up 
sharp. He looked at what had caught him, and a happy 
thought passed through his mind; he was caught by the 
noose of a bridle. He looked up and found he was caught 
by, and had caught, the pony. Matters began to look 
more cheerful. The whole cavalcade now proceeded 
leisurely, and with comfort, on the return journey. 
Without any other mishap they reached the high 
road, where they had left the carriage. The Sinha- 
lese guides said they were going on to Gampola, and 
as Mr Diddler felt very grateful for their courtesy 
and attention, he cheerfully offered them a seat in 
the carriage ; there was plenty of room for three, it 
was constructed to hold four. The men were grateful, 
expressed their dread of riding beside such a big 
master — it was hardly proper, it was not polite ; but 
he only pooh-poohed their demurs, and said, “ «Tump 
in,’’ which they did. A civil and kind action always 
gives its reward, and often in a way the donor little 
anticipates or expects, and it will shortly be shewn 
how our hero was rewarded for this unusually civil 
behaviour. As the carriage bowled along his spirits 
recovered, and as they approached Gampola he was 
meditating what he would take for dinner. Had he 
passed that way oftener he would never have medi- 
tated at all on the subject, because he would have 
learned to take just what he could get. 
They are now nearing the journej^’s end round a 
few sudden turns in the road. Just as darkness set 
in they turned into the long straight line of road, 
with paddy-fields on both sides, before descending to 
the ferry. A long batch of bullock carts was coming 
slowly along, meeting them ; the road was narrow, 
and the cartmen, in front, pulled and tugged at 
their bullocks in order to give passing room ; this 
was barely obtained; in fact the wheel of the car- 
riage was dangerously near the top of the embank- 
ment. The danger was passed, the last cart was pass- 
ing, and the carriage driver gave his bridle hand 
a jerk, in order to pull the horse again into the 
