sing the young man's hand warmly, "you
must look upon England as a potential ally, and lose no opportunity
which offers to impress upon our dear colleagues this fact, that behind
England, unmoved, unshaken, faithful, stands the armed might of
Portugal. May the saints have you in their keeping!"

He embraced him, kissing him on both cheeks.

* * * * *

Bones was drilling recruits at headquarters when Hamilton hailed him
from the edge of the square.

"There's a pal of yours come to see you, Bones," he roared.

Bones marched sedately to his superior and touched his helmet.

"Sir!"

"A friend of yours--just landed from the Portuguese packet."

Bones was mystified, and went up to the Residency to find a young man in
spotless white being entertained by Patricia Hamilton and a very
thoughtful Sanders.

The duc de Sagosta leapt to his feet as Bones came up the verandah.

"Hullo, Conk!" he yelled hilariously.

Bones stared.

"God bless my life," he stammered, "it's Mug!"

There was a terrific hand-shaking accompanied by squawking inquiries
which were never answered, uproarious laughter, back patting, brazen and
baseless charges that each was growing fat, and Sanders watched it with
great kindness.

"Here's old Ham," said Bones, "you ought to know Ham--Captain Hamilton,
sir, my friend, the duke of something or other--but you can call him
Mug--Miss Hamilton--this is Mug."

"We've already been introduced," she laughed. "But why do you let him
call you Mug?"

The duc grinned.

"I like Mug," he said simply.

He was to stay to lunch, for the ship was not leaving until the
afternoon, and Bones carried him off to his hut.

"A joyous pair," said Hamilton enviously. "Lord, if I was only a boy
again!"

Sanders shook his head.

"You don't echo that wish?" said Pat.

"I wasn't thinking about that--I was thinking of the boy. I dislike this
M'fusi business, and I can't think why the Government sent him. They are
a pretty bad lot--their territory is at the back of the Akasava, and the
Chief of the M'fusi is a rascal."

"But he says that he has been sent to reform them," said the girl.

Sanders smiled.

"It is not a job I should care to undertake--and yet----"

He knitted his forehead.

"And yet----?"

"I could reform them--Bones could reform them. But if they were reformed
it would break Bonaventura, for he holds his job subject to their
infamy."

At lunch Sanders was unusu