, at least temporarily, of several other things as
well, so that nearly a fortnight elapsed before Earle was again well
enough for the party to resume their journey.

It was while Earle was still an invalid, and before their march was
resumed, that on a certain occasion, while Dick was sitting at his
bedside, he besought the latter to tell him exactly what had happened on
the memorable afternoon which witnessed their arrival in the glade, he
apparently having forgotten everything about it. With some reluctance,
after much earnest entreaty, Dick consented; and after he had related
all, Earle became very thoughtful for some time. At length, however, he
looked up and said:

"Yes; I am beginning to remember; it is all coming back to me--the
occurrences of that afternoon, I mean. I suppose you haven't attempted
to develop that negative giving the general view of the glade, have
you?"

"Not I," answered Dick, "I've had too many other things to think about.
But I'll do so to-night, if you like."

"I wish you would, old chap," said Earle. "If my suspicion is correct,
that negative should be peculiarly interesting, and I should like it
developed before we leave here, in order that if it should be imperfect,
we may take another, as well as a near view of one of the clumps of
blooms. By the way, did you ever happen to have heard of the Death
Flower?"

"N-o, I can't say that I have," answered Dick. "Is there such a
flower?"

"So it is said," responded Earle. "I remember having read somewhere of
such a flower, which, it is asserted, blooms in a certain island in the
Pacific. The flower is said to be big enough to allow a man to stand
upright in it; but if anyone chances to be so ill-advised as to try the
experiment, the experimenter falls asleep, lulled to slumber by the
peculiar fragrance of the flower, and is at once favoured with the most
glorious dreams, in the midst of which the flower closes its petals and
suffocates him. Now, that was very much my own experience, except that
I was enveloped by the leaf instead of the flower; you dug me out
instead of leaving me to die; and my gorgeous dream came afterwards--at
least, so I suppose--instead of while I was enveloped. It will be
exceedingly interesting if it should prove that the flowers in this
glade are Death Flowers, for I believe it has hitherto been understood
that they flourish only in one spot in the world, namely, that small
island in the Pacific, the na