on for extra anxiety."

The Krooman, who had joined the slaves in cutting the grain, was in the
field at work when the merchants moved off, and was not present to bid
farewell to his more fortunate countryman.

After travelling about twelve miles through a fertile country, much of
which was in cultivation, the Arab merchants arrived at a large
reservoir of water, where they encamped for the night.

The water was in a stone tank, placed so as to catch all the rain that
fell in a long narrow valley, gradually descending from some hills to
the northward.

Jim had visited the place before, and told his companions that the tank
had been constructed by a man whose memory was much respected, and who
had died nearly a hundred years ago.

During the night the Krooman, who had been left behind, entered the
encampment, confident in the belief that he had escaped from his
taskmasters.

At sunset he had contrived to conceal himself among the barley sheaves
until his masters were out of sight, when he had started off on the
track taken by the Arab merchants.

He was not allowed long indulgence in his dream of liberty. On the
following morning, as the kafila was about to continue its journey,
three men were seen approaching on swift camels; and shortly after Rais
Abdallah Yessed, and two of his followers rode up.

They were in pursuit of the runaway Krooman, and in great rage at the
trouble which he had caused them. So anxious were the Boy Slaves that
the poor fellow should continue along with them, that, for their sake,
the Arab merchants made a strenuous effort to purchase him; but Rais
Abdallah obstinately refused to sell him at anything like a reasonable
price. The Krooman had given proof that he could be very useful in the
harvest-field; and a sum much greater than had been paid for any of the
others, was demanded for him. He was worth more to his present owners
than what the Arab merchants could afford to give; and was therefore
dragged back to the servitude from which he had hoped to escape.

"You can see now, that I was right," said Jim. "Had we consented to cut
their harvest, we should never have had an opportunity of regaining our
liberty. Our labor for a single year would have been worth as much to
them as the price they received for us, and we should have been held in
perpetual bondage."

Jim's companions could perceive the truth of this observation, but not
without being conscious that their good fortune was,