th news whenever you
can."

And so Dick set off, in command of an expedition for the first time, and
a proud man he felt, too, as he sat at the tiller, with his eye on his
fine crew. But he had only ascended a very few miles of the river Pra
when he met with an enemy even more dangerous than the Ashantis. One
morning, as he sprawled on the deck to eat his breakfast, he was seized
with a curious sensation.

"What is there, Johnnie?" he asked listlessly, toying with the pocket
fork and knife which all campaigners carry.

"Hot coffee, massa, berry hot; and golly! look at dem tinned sausages!
Johnnie take dem from de tin jest now, and look how dey frizzle!"

Dick did look, and on another occasion he would have fallen upon the
food with eagerness, for an expedition of any sort encourages a healthy
appetite. But this morning, strangely enough, he could not eat. The
sight of food sickened him. He pushed his plate away and took to his
pipe. Even that did not please him. The taste was all wrong, and he
sat down, looking dejected, for the first time for many a day. Then he
commenced to shiver, till his teeth rattled together like castanets.

"'E's got it, sure enough," whispered one of the salts, an old hand on
the coast. "This cruise 'as come to a end, chummies. Look at 'im
shiverin'. It's a bit of bad luck, mates, 'cos 'e was the boy to show
us some fun. Beg pardon, sir," he went on, coming to Dick's side, "but
ain't yer feeling quite up to it? Let's feel yer 'and."

Without further ceremony he took the hand which hung listlessly at his
young commander's side, and put his finger on the pulse, at the wrist,
for this tar had had some instruction, and was an intelligent fellow.
Then he turned to one of his mates, "Fetch along that 'ere medicine
pannier," he said shortly. "Now, then, open it carefully, and jest lift
out that 'ere box. If yer please, sir, jest put this under yer tongue."

With deft fingers he produced a thermometer from the medicine chest, and
placed it in Dick's mouth. Three minutes later he inspected it, while
the look on his jolly face turned to one of concern.

"Are yer cold, sir?" he asked sympathetically.

"No; but awfully hot. I'm burning all over," was the answer. "And I'm
very thirsty."

"And you've got a temperature. Tom Huggins there, 'bout ship; and,
Johnnie, let 'er skip till we're out of the river. The orfficer's got a
go of fever, and sooner he's aboard the _Rattlesnake_