owards the window of the room in which Charlie
Scroope was in bed, for being still weak he went to rest early.

"No," I said, "he's had enough of Africa, and you told me yourself that
it will be two years before he is really strong again. Also there's a
lady in this case. Now listen. I have taken it on myself to write to
that lady, whose address I found out while he didn't know what he was
saying. I have said that he was dying, but that I hoped he might live.
Meanwhile, I added, I thought she would like to know that he did nothing
but rave of her; also that he was a hero, with a big H twice underlined.
My word! I did lay it on about the hero business with a spoon, a real
hotel gravy spoon. If Charlie Scroope knows himself again when he sees
my description of him, well, I'm a Dutchman, that's all. The letter
caught the last mail and will, I hope, reach the lady in due course. Now
listen again. Scroope wants me to go to England with him to look after
him on the voyage--that's what he says. What he means is that he hopes
I might put in a word for him with the lady, if I should chance to
be introduced to her. He offers to pay all my expenses and to give me
something for my loss of time. So, as I haven't seen England since I was
three years old, I think I'll take the chance."

Brother John's face fell. "Then how about the expedition, Allan?" he
asked.

"This is the first of November," I answered, "and the wet season in
those parts begins about now and lasts till April. So it would be no use
trying to visit your Pongo friends till then, which gives me plenty of
time to go to England and come out again. If you'll trust that flower
to me I'll take it with me. Perhaps I might be able to find someone who
would be willing to put down money on the chance of getting the plant on
which it grew. Meanwhile, you are welcome to this house if you care to
stay here."

"Thank you, Allan, but I can't sit still for so many months. I'll go
somewhere and come back." He paused and a dreamy look came into his dark
eyes, then went on, "You see, Brother, it is laid on me to wander and
wander through all this great land until--I know."

"Until you know what?" I asked, sharply.

He pulled himself together with a jerk, as it were, and answered with a
kind of forced carelessness.

"Until I know every inch of it, of course. There are lots of tribes I
have not yet visited."

"Including the Pongo," I said. "By the way, if I can get the money
tog