is an indifferent honour for one who has rendered such service to
the country as you," said the complacent Mr. Blowter profoundly; "but
the Government feel that it is the least they can do for you after your
unusual effort on my behalf and they have asked me to say to you that
they will not be unmindful of your future."

He left Sanders standing as though frozen to the spot.

Hamilton was the first to congratulate him.

"My dear chap, if ever a man deserved the C.M.G. it is you," he said.

It would be absurd to say that Sanders was not pleased. He was certainly
not pleased at the method by which it came, but he should have known,
being acquainted with the ways of Governments, that this was the reward
of cumulative merit. He walked back in silence to the Residency,
Hamilton keeping pace by his side.

"By the way, Sanders," he said, "I have just had a pigeon-post from the
river--Bosambo is back in the Ochori country. Have you any idea how he
arrived there?"

"I think I have," said Sanders, with a grim little smile, "and I think I
shall be calling on Bosambo very soon."

But that was a threat he was never destined to put into execution. That
same evening came a wire from Bob.

"Your leave is granted: Hamilton is to act as Commissioner in your
temporary absence. I am sending Lieutenant Francis Augustus Tibbetts to
take charge of Houssas."

"And who the devil is Francis Augustus Tibbetts?" said Sanders and
Hamilton with one voice.

CHAPTER I

HAMILTON OF THE HOUSSAS

Sanders turned to the rail and cast a wistful glance at the low-lying
shore. He saw one corner of the white Residency, showing through the
sparse _isisi_ palm at the end of the big garden--a smudge of green on
yellow from this distance.

"I hate going--even for six months," he said.

Hamilton of the Houssas, with laughter in his blue eyes, and his
fumed-oak face--lean and wholesome it was--all a-twitch, whistled with
difficulty.

"Oh, yes, I shall come back again," said Sanders, answering the question
in the tune. "I hope things will go well in my absence."

"How can they go well?" asked Hamilton, gently. "How can the Isisi live,
or the Akasava sow his barbarous potatoes, or the sun shine, or the
river run when Sandi Sitani is no longer in the land?"

"I wouldn't have worried," Sanders went on, ignoring the insult, "if
they'd put a good man in charge; but to give a pudden-headed
soldier----"

"We thank you!" bowed Hamilton.

"-