me of which I have for the moment
forgotten."

Accordingly, as soon as it was dark that night, Dick lighted the ruby
lamp and proceeded very carefully to develop the precious negative,
which proved to be absolutely flawless, to Earle's great delight. And
on the following morning, at Earle's urgent request, Dick took out the
camera and photographed at close quarters the identical clump of flowers
that had so nearly proved fatal to his friend, taking care to include in
the picture the severed stem and the shredded leaf which had done the
mischief. And this negative also proved eminently satisfactory.

As they sat together, on that particular afternoon, examining the two
negative films, Earle suddenly looked up and remarked:

"That is three times that you have saved my life, Dick; and if I have
not said anything about it up to the present, you mustn't think that I
am not profoundly grateful to you--"

"Oh, yes, of course, I know, old chap," interrupted Dick, who had an
intense dislike to being effusively thanked for any little service that
it might be in his power to render a friend. "Please oblige me by
saying no more about it. At the same time, let me remark that I have
not the slightest notion of what you are talking about. How do you
reason it out that I've saved your life three times? I only know of--"

"Three times, I said; and three times I mean," returned Earle. "The
first time was when the _Everest_ sank; the second time was when you got
me out of the fatal embrace of that enveloping leaf; and the third time
was when you gave me that draught that sent me to sleep while I was
delirious. For now that I am again in my right mind, and the danger is
all over, I may as well admit that, while the delirium held me, the
paramount idea in my mind was to get away from you, by hook or by crook,
slip away to the flowers, and throw myself upon another leaf, so that I
might enjoy a repetition of those glorious dreams and sensations that I
told you of. In which case, of course, I should have died. So there
you are."

"Thanks!" said Dick grimly. "I'm glad you have told me, for I shall now
know exactly what to do, if anything similar should happen."

Earle's strength was slow to return to him, for there were two adverse
influences with which to contend, one being the depressing influence of
the forest itself in the midst of which they were encamped, while the
other was the total absence of game, which necessitated