em shouting at the top of their voices it was
impossible to sleep--I overheard the entire history of his life. What a
life! I prayed my stars that X would change his mind and decide to stay
where he was, for though I needed extra men badly I feared that his
company would not be a welcome addition to our party, bad as it was. Like
all men who have lived much in seclusion, he possessed marvellous
vitality and magnetism. My men were simply hypnotised by the remarkable
tales of his deeds, or rather misdeeds.

Long before we were ready to start, X went to seat himself in the canoe
to make sure we should not leave him behind. When I asked him to
reconsider once more what he was doing, which was not fair to his master,
no matter how bad he may have been, X positively refused to remain there.

"If you do not want me to come," he said with determination, "you will
have to fling me into the water and keep my head under until I am
drowned."

That was rather a trying dilemma. Much as I disapprove of slavery, I did
not like the idea of taking matters into my own hands and freeing other
people's slaves; yet it was impossible to refuse assistance to a
suffering man when he asked for it. In any case I had no wish to be
responsible for his death.

"X," I said to him, "you have quite made up your mind to go with us?"

"Yes."

"Will you promise faithfully that you will work and give no trouble?"

"May my old father and mother be struck by lightning this moment if I
shall give you trouble!" was his reply.

"Very good, X. You can keep your rifle and cartridges and your ring"--he
had just deposited them at my feet--"they are your own property. I do not
want them. You shall receive the same salary as the other men from this
day as long as you do your work satisfactorily."

X jumped out of the canoe to embrace me. On his brutal face was for a
moment an expression of gratitude ... he rested his head upon my shoulder
and sobbed for many minutes.

With a crew of six men, things were a little better for us. Four could
paddle while one steered, and the sixth stood on the prow with a long
pole punting, or on the look-out for dangerous obstacles.

X paddled with such vigour that Alcides at the helm had the greatest
difficulty in keeping the canoe straight. It had a good effect on the
other men, who also paddled away with all their might, and we were
speeding along with the strong current almost as fast as a steam launch.

The minimum te