t he made an effort to be gay.

'Good Lord, I quite forgot; I wonder when the dickens I had some food
last. These Arabs have been keeping us so confoundedly busy.'

'I don't believe you've had anything to-day. You must be devilish
hungry.'

'Now you mention it, I think I am,' answered Alec, cheerfully. 'And
thirsty, by Jove! I wouldn't give my thirst for an elephant tusk.'

'And to think there's nothing but tepid water to drink!' Walker
exclaimed with a laugh.

'I'll go and tell the boy to bring you some food,' said the doctor.
'It's a rotten game to play tricks with your digestion like that.'

'Stern man, the doctor, isn't he?' said Alec, with twinkling eyes. 'It
won't hurt me once in a way, and I shall enjoy it all the more now.'

But when Adamson went to call the boy, Alec stopped him.

'Don't trouble. The poor devil's half dead with exhaustion. I told him
he might sleep till I called him. I don't want much, and I can easily
get it myself.'

Alec looked about and presently found a tin of meat and some ship
biscuits. During the fighting it had been impossible to go out on the
search for game, and there was neither variety nor plenty about their
larder. Alec placed the food before him, sat down, and began to eat.
Walker looked at him.

'Appetising, isn't it?' he said ironically.

'Splendid!'

'No wonder you get on so well with the natives. You have all the
instincts of the primeval savage. You take food for the gross and
bestial purpose of appeasing your hunger, and I don't believe you have
the least appreciation for the delicacies of eating as a fine art.'

'The meat's getting rather mouldy,' answered Alec.

He ate notwithstanding with a good appetite. His thoughts went suddenly
to Dick who at the hour which corresponded with that which now passed in
Africa, was getting ready for one of the pleasant little dinners at the
_Carlton_ upon which he prided himself. And then he thought of the
noisy bustle of Piccadilly at night, the carriages and 'buses that
streamed to and fro, the crowded pavements, the gaiety of the lights.

'I don't know how we're going to feed everyone to-morrow,' said Walker.
'Things will be going pretty bad if we can't get some grain in from
somewhere.'

Alec pushed back his plate.

'I wouldn't worry about to-morrow's dinner if I were you,' he said, with
a low laugh.

'Why?' asked Walker.

'Because I think it's ten to one that we shall be as dead as doornails
before sunrise.'