found to be necessary to leave him
behind at a native village, for it would have been certain death to the
others to have remained with him, and their doing so could have done him
no good.

"I cannot tell you, Tom," said the major, as he sat beside his friend's
couch the night before they parted, "how deeply it grieves me to leave
you in this way, but you see, my dear fellow, that the case is
desperate. You are incapable of moving. If we remain here the most of
us will die, for I find that it is all I can do to drag one leg after
the other, and I have grave doubts as to whether I shall ever get out of
this rascally country alive. As to poor Bob Wilkins, he is in a worse
condition than myself. Now, our intention is to leave you all the
physic, push on as fast as possible to the nearest settlement, where we
shall get more for ourselves, and send out a party of natives under some
trustworthy trader to fetch you out of the country."

"You are very kind, major," said Tom languidly, "but I cannot allow you
to leave me all the physic. Your own life may depend on having some of
it, and--"

"There, don't exhaust yourself, Tom, with objections, for Bob and I have
made up our minds to do it. The very fact that every day we are getting
nearer the habitable parts of the world will keep our spirits up and
give us strength, and you may depend upon it, my poor fellow, that we
won't waste time in sending help to you."

The major's voice trembled a little, for he had become very weak, and
had secret misgivings that he would never see his friend again.

"We are going to leave Mafuta with you," he added quickly.

"That's right," exclaimed Tom, with an expression of satisfaction. "If
any one is able to pull me through this bout, Mafuta is the man. By the
way, major, will you do me the favour to open my portmanteau and fetch
me the Bible you will find there. I mean to read it. Do you know I
have been thinking that we are great fools to keep calling ourselves
Christians when we have scarcely any of the signs of Christianity about
us, and particularly in putting off the consideration of our souls'
interests to a time like this?"

"Upon my word, Tom, I agree with you," said the major.

"Well, then," said Tom, "like a good fellow, get the Bible for me, and
let me advise you as a friend to make use of the one the missionary gave
you. I mean to turn over a new leaf. My only fear is that if I get
well I shall become as indiffer