goods here. I speak Burmese fairly now and,
if I can be of any use to you, I shall be very glad to be so. There
is not much business here; and the Parsee clerk, who is generally
in charge, can look after it very well. I acted as interpreter with
the troops in the north, and have a letter from Mr. Scott, the
commissioner, thanking me for my services."

"I remember you used to be able to talk four or five of the native
languages, but how did you come to pick up Burmese?"

"From a servant of my uncle's. We thought that there would be sure
to be war, sooner or later; and that, after it was over, there
would be a good chance of profitable trade on the Burmese rivers. I
had no great difficulty in learning it from my uncle's man, who was
a native of Aracan."

"I have no doubt you will find it very useful. What a big fellow
you have grown, Stanley; at least, as far as height is concerned.
Let me see. How old are you, now?"

"I am past sixteen," Stanley replied. "I have had several touches
of fever--caught, I suppose, from the damp on the rivers--but I
think that I am pretty well acclimatized, now. I know I don't look
very strong, but I have not had much active exercise and, of
course, the climate is against me."

"Very much so. I wonder that you have kept your health as well as
you have, in this steamy climate.

"I am going to the mess room, now. You had better come and lunch
with me, and I will introduce you to the other officers. We are
very strong in comparison to the force for, counting the assistant
surgeon, there are ten of us."

"I shall be very glad, sir," Stanley said. "I have certainly been
feeling rather lonely here; for I know no one, and there is very
little to do. During the last year, I have often gone up one of the
rivers by myself; but there has always been occupation while, at
present, things are at a standstill."

"I tell you what, Brooke, if you would like it, I can appoint you
interpreter. There is not one of us who speaks this Mug
language--which is, you know, almost the same as Burmese--and the
officers in charge of the native levy would be delighted to have
some one with them who could make the fellows understand. I can
appoint you a first-class interpreter. The pay is not very high,
you know; but you might just as well be earning it as doing
nothing, and it would give you a sort of official position and, as
the son of a British officer, and my friend, you would be one of
us."

"Thank you v