ent as I was before."

"No fear of that, Tom, you are much too honest-hearted to be so
changeable."

"H'm, I don't know," said Tom, with an attempt at a smile; "I should not
be easy if my salvation depended on the honesty of my heart. I rather
fear, major, that your method of comforting me is not what the
missionary would call orthodox. But good night, old fellow; I feel
tired, and find it wonderfully difficult not only to speak but to think,
so I'll try to sleep."

Saying this our hero turned on his side and soon fell into a quiet
slumber, out of which he did not awake until late the following morning.

The major, meanwhile, sought for and found the Bible in his portmanteau,
and laid it on his pillow, so that he might find it there on awaking.
For a long time he and Wilkins sat by the sick man's side next morning,
in the hope of his awaking, that they might bid him good-bye; but Tom
did not rouse up, so, being unwilling to disturb him, they left without
having the sad satisfaction of saying farewell.

When Tom Brown awoke, late in the day, he found Mafuta sitting at his
feet with a broad grin on his dusky countenance.

"What are you laughing at, you rascal?" demanded Tom, somewhat sternly.

"Me laffin' at you's face!"

"Indeed, is it then so ridiculous?"

"Yis, oh yis, you's bery ri'clous. Jist no thicker dan de edge ob
hatchet."

Tom smiled. "Well, I'm not fat, that's certain; but I feel refreshed.
D'you know, Mafuta, I think I shall get well after all."

"Ho, yis," said Mafuta, with a grin, nodding his woolly head violently,
and displaying a magnificent double row of teeth; "you's git well; you
had slep an' swet mos' bootiful. Me wish de major see you now."

"The major; is he gone?"

"Yis, hoed off dis morrownin."

"And Mr Wilkins?"

"Hoed off too."

Tom Brown opened his eyes and stared silently for a few minutes at his
companion.

"Then we are all alone, you and I," he said suddenly.

"Yis, all alone, sept de two tousand Caffres ob de kraal; but dey is
nobody--only black beasts."

Tom laughed to hear his attendant talk so scornfully of his countrymen,
and Mafuta laughed to see his master in such good spirits; after which
the former became grave, and, feeling a slight twinge of hunger, made a
sudden demand for food. Mafuta rose and left the tent, and Tom, turning
on his side, observed the Bible lying on the pillow. He opened it, but
forgot to read, in consequence of his attention being