buckets in it。 She took him to the dam； when she got there she
took out the buckets； left one on the bank； and gave the other to
Christie。 She then went down the steps till the water was up to
her neck； and bade Christie fill the tub。 He poured eight
bucketsful in。 Then she came slowly out； straight as an arrow；
balancing this tub full on her head。 Then she held out her hands
for the two buckets。 Christie filled them； wondering； and gave
them to her。 She took them like toy buckets； and glided slowly
home with this enormous weight； and never spilled a drop。 Indeed；
the walk was more smooth and noble than ever； if possible。
When she reached the house； she hailed a Hottentot； and it cost the
man and Christopher a great effort of strength to lower her tub
between them。
〃What a vertebral column you must have！〃 said Christopher。
〃You must not speak bad words； my child；〃 said she。 〃Now； you
water the grass and the flowers。〃 She gave him a watering…pot； and
watched him maternally； but did not put a hand to it。 She
evidently considered this part of the business as child's play； and
not a fit exercise of her powers。
It was only by drowning that little oasis twice a day that the
grass was kept green and the flowers alive。
She found him other jobs in course of the day； and indeed he was
always helping somebody or other； and became quite ruddy； bronzed；
and plump of cheek； and wore a strange look of happiness； except at
times when he got apart； and tried to recall the distant past。
Then he would knit his brow； and looked perplexed and sad。
They were getting quite used to him； and he to them； when one day
he did not come in to dinner。 Phoebe sent out for him； but they
could not find him。
The sun set。 Phoebe became greatly alarmed； and even Dick was
anxious。
They all turned out； with guns and dogs； and hunted for him beneath
the stars。
Just before daybreak Dick Dale saw a fire sparkle by the side of a
distant thicket。 He went to it； and there was Ucatella seated；
calm and grand as antique statue； and Christopher lying by her
side； with a shawl thrown over him。 As Dale came hurriedly up； she
put her finger to her lips； and said； 〃My child sleeps。 Do not
wake him。 When he sleeps； he hunts the past； as Collie hunts the
springbok。〃
〃Here's a go；〃 said Dick。 Then； hearing a chuckle； he looked up；
and was aware of a comical appendage to the scene。 There hung；
head downwards； from a branch； a Kafir boy； who was； in fact； the
brother of the stately Ucatella； only went further into antiquity
for his models of deportment； for； as she imitated the antique
marbles； he reproduced the habits of that epoch when man roosted；
and was arboreal。 Wheel somersaults； and； above all； swinging head
downwards from a branch； were the sweeteners of his existence。
〃Oh！ YOU are there； are you？〃 said Dick。
〃Iss；〃 said Ucatella。 〃Tim good boy。 Tim found my child。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dick； 〃he has chosen a nice place。 This is the clump
the last lion came out of； at least they say so。 For my part； I
never saw an African lion； Falcon says they've all took ship； and
gone to England。 However； I shall stay here with my rifle till
daybreak。 'Tis tempting Providence to lie down on the skirt of a
wood for Lord knows what to jump out on ye unawares。〃
Tim was sent home for Hottentots； and Christopher was carried home；
still sleeping； and laid on his own bed。
He slept twenty…four hours more； and； when he was fairly awake； a
sort of mist seemed to clear away in places； and he remembered
things at random。 He remembered being at sea on the raft with the
dead body； that picture was quite vivid to him。 He remembered；
too； being in the hospital； and meeting Phoebe； and every
succeeding incident； but as respected the more distant past； he
could not recall it by any effort of his will。 His mind could only
go into that remoter past by material stepping…stones； and what
stepping…stones he had about him here led him back to general
knowledge； but not to his private history。
In this condition he puzzled them all strangely at the farm； his
mind was alternately so clear and so obscure。 He would chat with
Phoebe； and sometimes give her a good practical hint； but the next
moment； helpless for want of memory； that great faculty without
which judgment cannot act； having no material。
After some days of this； he had another great sleep。 It brought
him back the distant past in chapters。 His wedding…day。 His
wife's face and dress upon that day。 His parting with her： his
whole voyage out： but； strange to say； it swept away one…half of
that which he had recovered at his last sleep； and he no longer
remembered clearly how he came to be at Dale's Kloof。
Thus his mind might be compared to one climbing a slippery place；
who gains a foot or two； then slips back； but on the whole gains
more than he loses。
He took a great liking to Falcon。 That gentleman had the art of
pleasing； and the tact never to offend。
Falcon affected to treat the poor soul's want of memory as a common
infirmity； pretended he was himself very often troubled in the same
way； and advised him to read the newspapers。 〃My good wife；〃 said
he； 〃has brought me a whole file of the Cape Gazette。 I'd read
them if I was you。 The deuce is in it； if you don't rake up
something or other。〃
Christopher thanked him warmly for this： he got the papers to his
own little room； and had always one or two in his pocket for
reading。 At first he found a good many hard words that puzzled
him； and he borrowed a pencil of Phoebe； and noted them down。
Strange to say； the words that puzzled him were always common
words； that his unaccountable memory had forgotten： a hard word； he
was sure to remember that。
One day he had to ask Falcon the meaning of 〃spendthrift。〃 Falcon
told him briefly。 He could have illustrated the word by a striking
example； but he did not。 He added； in his polite way； 〃No fellow
can understand all the words in a newspaper。 Now； here's a word in
mine'Anemometer；' who the deuce can understand such a word？〃
〃Oh； THAT is a common word enough；〃 said poor Christopher。 〃It
means a machine for measuring the force of the wind。〃
〃Oh； indeed；〃 said Falcon； but did not believe a word of it。
One sultry day Christopher had a violent headache； and complained
to Ucatella。 She told Phoebe； and they bound his brows with a wet
handkerchief； and advised him to keep in…doors。 He sat down in the
coolest part of the house； and held his head with his hands； for it
seemed as if it would explode into two great fragments。
All in a moment the sky was overcast with angry clouds； whirling
this way and that。 Huge drops of hail pattered down； and the next
minute came a tremendous flash of lightning； accompanied； rather
than followed； by a crash of thunder close over their heads。
This was the opening。 Down came a deluge out of clouds that looked
mountains of pitch； and made the day night but for the fast and
furious strokes of lightning that fired the air。 The scream of
wind and awful peals of thunder completed the horrors of the scene。
In the midst of this； by what agency I know no more than science or
a sheep does； something went off inside Christopher's head； like a
pistol…shot。 He gave a sort of scream； and dashed out into the
weather。
Phoebe heard his scream and his flying footstep； and uttered an
ejaculation of fear。 The whole household was alarmed； and； under
other circumstances； would have followed him； but you could not see
ten yards。
A chill sense of impending misfortune settled on the house。 Phoebe
threw her apron over her head； and rocked in her chair。
Dick himself looked very grave。
Ucatella would have tried to follow him； but Dick forbade her。
〃'Tis no use；〃 said he。 〃When it clears； we that be men will go
for him。〃
〃Pray Heaven you may find him alive！〃
〃I don't think but what we shall。 There's nowhere he can fall down
to hurt himself； nor yet drown himself； but our dam； and he has not
gone that way。 But〃
〃But what？〃
〃If we do find him； we must take him back to Cape Town； before he
does himself； or some one； a mischief。 Why； Phoebe； don't you see
the man has gone raving mad？〃
CHAPTER XIX。
The electrified man rushed out into the storm； but he scarcely felt
it in his body； the effect on his mind overpowered hail…stones。
The lightning seemed to light up the past； the mighty explosions of
thunder seemed cannon strokes knocking down a wall； and letting in
his whole life。
Six hours the storm raged； and； before it ended； he had recovered
nearly his whole past； except his voyage with Captain Doddthat；
indeed； he never recoveredand the things that happened to him in
the hospital before he met Phoebe Falcon and her brother： and as
soon as he had recovered his lost memory； his body began to shiver
at the hail and rain。 He tried to find his way home； but missed
it； not so much； however； but that he recovered it as soon as it
began to clear； and just as they were coming out to look for him；
he appeared before them； dripping； shivering； very pale and worn；
with the handkerchief still about his head。
At sight of him； Dick slipped back to his sister； and said； rather
roughly； 〃There now； you may leave off crying： he is come home； and
to…morrow I take him to Cape Town。〃
Christopher crept in； a dismal； sinister figure。
〃Oh； sir；〃 said Phoebe； 〃was this a day for a Christian to be out
in？ How could you go and frighten us so？〃
〃Forgive me； madam；〃 said Christopher humbly； 〃I was not myself。〃
〃The best thing you can do now is to go to bed； and let us send you
up something warm。〃
〃You are very good；〃 said Christopher； and retired with the air of
one too full of great amazing thoughts to gossip。
He slept thirty hours at a stretch； and then； awaking in the dead
of night； he saw the past even more clear and vivid； he lighted his
candle and began to grope in the Cape Gazette。 As to dates； he now
remembered when he had sailed from England； and also from Madeira。
Following up this clew； he found in the Gazette a notice that H。 M。
ship Amphitrite had been spoken off the Cape； and had reported the