rised at Colin's conduct the evening
before, especially at the patient manner in which the youth had
submitted to the task of looking after the child. There was a mystery in
the young Scotchman's behavior he could not comprehend,--a mystery that
soon became more profound. It had also attracted the attention of Harry
and Terence, notwithstanding the many unpleasant circumstances of the
journey calculated to abstract their thoughts from him and his charge.

Shortly after noon, the woman was seen driving Colin up to the _kafila_,
urging him forward with loud screams, and blows administered with the
knotted end of the rope by which she guided her maherry.

After a time Golah, apparently annoyed by her shrill, scolding voice,
ordered her to desist, and permit the slave to continue his journey in
peace.

Although unable to understand the meaning of her words, Colin must have
known that the woman was not using terms of endearment.

The screaming, angry tone, and the blows of the rope might have told him
this; and yet he submitted to her reproaches and chastisements with a
meekness and a philosophic resignation which surprised his companions.

When his thoughts were not too much absorbed by painful reveries over
the desire for food and water, Harry endeavored to converse with the
Krooman already mentioned. He now applied to the man for an
interpretation of the words so loudly vociferated by the angry negress,
and launched upon the head of the patient young Scotchman.

The Krooman said that she had called the lad a lazy pig, a Christian
dog, and an unbelieving fool; and that she threatened to kill him unless
he kept up with the _kafila_.

On the third day of their journeying, it chanced not to be quite so hot
as on the one preceding it; and consequently the sufferings of the
slaves, especially from thirst, were somewhat less severe.

"I shall never endure such agony again," said Harry, speaking of his
experience of the previous day. "Perhaps I may die for the want of
water, and on this desert; but I can never suffer so much real pain a
second time."

"'Ow is that, Master Arry?" asked Bill.

"Because I cannot forget, after my experience of last night, that the
greater the desire for water, the more pleasure there is in gratifying
it; and the anticipation of such happiness will go far to alleviate
anything I may hereafter feel."

"Well, there be summat in that, for sartin," answered the sailor, "for I
can't 'elp think