that you should not
gain weight so fast."

"That would have been a modest request, indeed, Bullen!"

"It was a case of true friendship," Lisle laughed. "I know how you
have appreciated your loss of flesh."

"You be blowed!" Hallett said. "If they would run to half a dozen
tins a day, I can tell you I would take them, whatever the
consequences."

"Well, really, I do think, Hallett, those few cases have saved us
from fever. I felt so utterly washed out, when we arrived here,
that I began to think I was in for a bad attack."

"Same here, Bullen. I fought against the feeling because I dreaded
that hospital tent and, still more, being carried down country."

"Yes; we certainly did a clever thing, when we bought up everything
we could, that day we were in Cape Coast. Our servants, too, have
turned out most satisfactory. Poor beggars! though the weather has
been so bad, there has scarcely been a night when they have not
managed to make a little fire, and boil water either to mix with
our tot of rum, or to make a cup of tea."

"Yes, they have turned out uncommonly well. We must certainly make
them a handsome present, when this is all over. It was awfully
lucky we brought up a good supply of tea with us, and condensed
milk. I am certain that the hot drink, at night, did wonders in the
way of keeping off fevers."

"That is so, Lisle; there is nothing that will keep the wet out, or
at least prevent it from doing harm, like a cup of hot tea with the
allowance of rum in it. I am sure I don't know what we should have
done, without it. That tea and milk were all that we could bring,
especially as our carriers were cut down to one man, each."

"That was your idea, Lisle, and I agree that it has been the saving
of us. I was rather in favour of bringing spirits, myself; but I
quite admit, now, that it would have been a great mistake. Besides,
half a dozen pounds of tea does not weigh more than a couple of
bottles of spirits; which would have been gone in four or five
days, while the tea has held out for months. I never was much of a
tea drinker before. It is all very well to take a cup at an
afternoon tea fight, but that was about the extent of my indulgence
in the beverage. In future I shall become what is called a votary,
and shall cut down my spirits to the narrowest limit."

"That would be running to the opposite extreme, Hallett. Too much
tea is just as bad as too much spirits."

"Ah! Well, I can breakfast with coffe