le in the different mountain villages will treat
you with the greatest of respect, and you may make your journey in
safety."

"This is very reasonable," said the professor.

"I assure you, sir, that in a country such as this is now such
precautions are as necessary as taking a bottle of quinine. And beside,
you may require your guns for game."

"The country is very fine, of course?"

"Magnificent, sir," replied the landlord; "but it is in ruins. The
neglect and apathy of the government are such that the people are like
the land--full of weeds. Why, you will hardly find a road fit to
traverse, and through the neglect of the authorities, what used to be
smiling plains are turned to fever-haunted marshes spreading pestilence
around."

"You will have to give way, Mr Burne," said the professor smiling, "and
dress like a bandit chief."

"Never, sir," cried the lawyer. "You two may, but I am going through
Asia Minor with a snuff-box and a walking-stick. Those will be enough
for me."

"Where can we get arms?" said the professor smiling.

"At Politanie's, sir, about fifty yards from here. You will find him a
very straightforward tradesman. Of course his prices are higher than
you would pay in London; but he will not supply you with anything that
is untrustworthy. Perhaps you may as well say that you are friends of
our consul, and that I advised you."

"It is absurd!" exclaimed Mr Burne, as soon as they were alone. "What
do you say, Lawrence, my boy? You don't believe in weapons of war, I'm
sure."

"No," replied Lawrence quietly.

"There, professor."

"But," continued Lawrence, "I believe in being safe. I feel sure that
the people will respect us all the more for being armed."

"And would you use a sword, sir?" cried the lawyer fiercely.

Lawrence drew his sleeve back from his thin arm, gazed at it mournfully,
and then looked up in a wistful half-laughing way at his two friends.

"I don't think I could even pull it out of the sheath," he said sadly.

"Come, Burne, you will have to yield to circumstances."

"Not I, sir, not I," said Mr Burne emphatically. "I have been too much
mixed up with the law all my life, and know its beauties too well, ever
to break it."

"But you will come with us to the gunsmith's?"

"Oh, yes, I'll come and see you fool away your money, only I'm not going
to have you carry loaded guns near me. If they are to be for show let
them be for show. There, I'm ready."

"Yo