sand
pounds for the wounded in South Africa. It stirs my blood every time I
hear it sung."

The party broke up at a late hour, and Sam and Cleary walked back
together to the hotel.

"Interesting, wasn't it?" said Cleary.

"Yes," said Sam.

"Canon is a good title for that parson, isn't it? He's a fighter. They
ought to promote him. 'Bombshell Gleed' would sound better than 'Canon
Gleed,'" said Cleary.

"'M," said Sam.

"And that old general looked rather queer in that red and gilt
bob-tailed Eton jacket," said Cleary.

"Yes, rather."

"Convenient for spanking, I suppose."

"The captain next to me told me a lot about Bobbets," said Sam. "Wasn't
he nearly kidnaped in South Africa?"

"Yes; that comes of sending generals away from home who only weigh
ninety-five pounds. We hadn't any such trouble with Laughter. They'd
have had to kidnap him with a derrick."

"I never thought of that," said Sam. "Perhaps that's the real reason
they selected him. I shouldn't wonder."

"Of course it was," responded Cleary.

"What sort of a chap was the one with the V.C. next to you?" asked Sam.

"A fine fellow," said Cleary. "But it does seem queer, when you think
of it, to wear a cross like that, that says 'I'm a hero,' just as plain
as the beggar's placard says, 'I am blind.'"

"I don't see why," said Sam.

"On the whole I think that a placard would be better," said Cleary.
"Everybody would be sure to understand it. 'I performed such and such
an heroic action on such and such a day, signed John Smith.' Print it
in big letters and then stand around graciously so that people could
read it through when they wanted to. I'll get the idea patented when I
get home."

"It's a pity we don't give more attention to decorations at home," said
Sam. "But I don't quite like the placard idea."

CHAPTER XII

The Great White Temple

[Illustration]

On the following morning the two friends started on their journey up
the river toward the Imperial City. They went on a barge filled with
soldiers, some of them their own troops who had arrived earlier the
same morning. The barge was drawn by ropes pulled by natives, who
walked and ran along the banks of the river. It was a day of
ever-increasing horrors. All the desolation which they had remarked the
day previous was reproduced and accentuated, and as they were so much
nearer to the bank, and occasionally took walks on shore, they s