"  What  Js  your  name  ?  "  I  asked.     "  Can  you  write  ?  "

He  could,  to  the  extent  of  laboriously  and  all  but  illegibly  penciling
his  name,  to  which  I  added  his  address,  a  tiny  hamlet  up  in  the  moun-
tains. I  explained  the  situation  to  him  briefly  in  words  of  one  syllable.
He  seemed  to  follow  me.  At  least  he  answered  "  Yes,  sir  "  at  the  end
of  each  sentence.
"You  will  take  the  horse  to  the  police-station  in  Grand  Bay,"  I
specified,  having  gathered  from  my  map  and  his  monosyllables  that  this
was  the  next  town.  "  I  will  tell  the  police  there  what  to  do  with  him,
and  I  will  leave  five  shillings  with  them  to  give  you  if  you  bring  horse,
saddle  and  bridle,  and  do  not  try  to  ride  him  on  the  way."


354          ROAMING  THROUGH  THE  WEST  INDIES

"  Yes  sir,"  he  replied,  taking  the  reins- 1  held  out  to  him,  and  I  turned
and  fled  into  the  swiftly  descending  night.
