oubt that since Stas had secured
the quinine she would regain her health. But Stas during the night-time
went through the jungle as if it were nothing. Nell, notwithstanding
her admiration for him, had considered, not reflecting much over it,
that everything he did for her was to be taken as a matter of course,
for it is a plain thing that an older boy ought to protect a little
girl. But now it occurred to her that she would have perished long ago;
that he cared for her immensely; that he gratified her and defended her
as no other boy of his age would have done or knew how to do. So great
gratitude overflowed in her little heart, and when Stas entered again
and leaned over her with the remedy she threw her thin arms around his
neck and hugged him heartily.

"Stas, you are very kind to me."

While he replied:

"And to whom am I to be kind? Why, I like that! Take this medicine!"

Nevertheless he was happy; as his eyes glistened with satisfaction and
again with joy and pride, he called, turning to the opening:

"Mea, serve the 'bibi' with tea, now!"

XII

Stas did not start for Linde's camp the following day until noon, for
he had to rest after the previous night's adventure. On the way,
anticipating that the sick man might need fresh meat, he killed two
guinea-fowl, which were really accepted with gratitude. Linde was very
weak but fully conscious. Immediately after the greeting he inquired
about Nell, after which he warned Stas that he should not regard
quinine as an entirely sure cure for the fever and that he should guard
the little one from the sun, from getting wet, from staying during the
night in low and damp places, and finally from bad water. Afterwards
Stas related to him, at his request, his own and Nell's history from
the beginning to the arrival in Khartum and the visit to the Mahdi; and
afterwards from Fashoda to their liberation from Gebhr's hands, and
their further wanderings. The Swiss gazed during the time of this
narration with growing interest, often with evident admiration, and
when the narrative reached an end he lit his pipe, surveyed Stas from
head to foot, and said as if in a reverie:

"If in your country there are many boys like you, then they will not be
able to manage you very easily."

And after a moment of silence he continued:

"The best proof of the truth of your words is this, that you are here,
that you are standing before me. And believe what I tell you: your
situation i