-breaking task of waking his subordinate. "Up, you lazy devil!" he
shouted, shaking Bones by the shoulder.

Bones opened his eyes and blinked rapidly. "On the word 'One!'" he said
hoarsely, "carry the left foot ten inches to the left front, at the same
time bringing the rifle to a horizontal position at the right side.
One!"

"Wake up, wake up, Bones!"

Bones made a wailing noise. It was the noise of a mother panther who has
returned to her lair to discover that her offspring have been eaten by
wild pigs. "Whar-r-ow-ow!" he said, and turned over on his right side.

Hamilton pocketed his torch, and, lifting Bones bodily from the bed, let
him fall with a thud.

Bones scrambled up, staring. "Gentlemen of the jury," he said, "I stand
before you a ruined man. Drink has been my downfall, as the dear old
judge remarked. I _did_ kill Wilfred Morgan, and I plead the unwritten
law." He saluted stiffly, collapsed on to his pillow, and fell instantly
into a deep child-like sleep.

Hamilton groaned. He had had occasion to wake Bones from his beauty
sleep before, but he had never been as bad as this. He took a soda
siphon from the little sideboard and depressed the lever, holding the
outlet above his victim's head.

Bones leapt up with a roar. "Hello, Ham!" he said quite sanely. "Well
dear old officer, this is the finish! You stand by the lifeboat an'
shoot down anybody who attempts to leave the ship before the torpedoes
are saved. I'm goin' down into the hold to have a look at the women an'
children." He saluted, and was stepping out into the wet night, when
Hamilton caught his arm.

"Steady, the Buffs, my sleeping beauty! Dress yourself. Sanders wants
you."

Bones nodded. "I'll just drive over and see him," he said, climbed back
into bed, and was asleep in a second.

Hamilton put out the light and went back to the Residency. "I hadn't
the heart to cut his ear off," he said regretfully. "I'm afraid we
shan't be able to consult Bones till the morning."

Sanders nodded. "Anyway, I will wait for the morning. I have told Abiboo
to get stores and wood aboard, and to have steam in the _Zaire_. Let us
emulate Bones."

"Heaven forbid!" said Hamilton piously.

Bones came blithely to breakfast, a dapper and a perfectly groomed
figure. He received the news of the ominous happenings in the N'gombi
country with that air of profound solemnity which so annoyed Hamilton.

"I wish you had called me in the night," he said gravely. "