"It would not be a bad idea for some of you chaps that camp in the
bunks along there, to have a look at your things. Scotty's bunk is
next to Tom's."

Scotty shot out of his place as if a snake had hold of his leg,
starting a plank in the table and upsetting three soup plates. He
reached for his bunk like a drowning man clutching at a plank, and
tore out the bedding. Again, Smith hadn't forgot.

Then followed a general overhaul, and it was found in most cases that
Smith had remembered. The pent-up reservoir of blasphemy burst forth.

The Oracle came up with Smith that night at the nearest shanty, and
found that he had forgotten again, and in several instances, and was
forgetting some more under the influence of rum and of the flattering
interest taken in his case by a drunken Bachelor of Arts who happened
to be at the pub. Tom came in quietly from the rear, and crooked his
finger at the shanty-keeper. They went apart from the rest, and
talked together a while very earnestly. Then they secretly examined
Smith's swag, the core of which was composed of Tom's and his mate's
valuables.

Then The Oracle stirred up Smith's recollections and departed.

Smith was about again in a couple of weeks. He was damaged somewhat
physically, but his memory was no longer impaired.



HUNGERFORD