ne thing to do," said Hamilton. "We shall have to take
all the men we can possibly muster, and go north at daybreak."

"Spoken like a jolly old Hannibal," said Bones heartily, and smacked his
superior on the back. A shrill bugle call aroused the sleeping lines,
and Hamilton went back to his quarters to make preparations for the
journey. In the first grey light of dawn he flew three pigeons to
Bosambo, and the message they carried about their red legs was brief.

"Take your fighting regiments to the edge of Frenchi land; presently I
will come with my soldiers and support you. Let no foreigner pass on
your life and on your head."

When the rising sun tipped the tops of the palms with gold, and the wild
world was filled with the sound of the birds, the _Zaire_, her decks
alive with soldiers, began her long journey northward.

Just before the boat left, Hamilton received a further message from the
Administrator. It was in plain English, some evidence of Sir Robert
Sanleigh's haste.

"Confidential: This matter on the Ochori border extremely delicate.
Complete adequate arrangements to keep in touch with me."

For one moment Hamilton conceived the idea of leaving Bones behind to
deal with the telegram and come along. A little thought, however,
convinced him of the futility of this method. For one thing he would
want every bit of assistance he could get, and although Bones had his
disadvantages he was an excellent soldier, and a loyal and gallant
comrade.

It might be necessary for Hamilton to divide up his forces; in which
case he could hardly dispense with Lieutenant Tibbetts, and he explained
unnecessarily to Bones:

"I think you are much better under my eye where I can see what you're
doing."

"Sir," said Bones very seriously, "it is not what I do, it is what I
think. If you could only see my brain at work----"

"Ha, ha!" said Hamilton rudely.

For at least three days relations were strained between the two
officers. Bones was a man who admitted at regular intervals that he was
unduly sensitive. He had explained this disadvantage to Hamilton at
various times, but the Houssa stolidly refused to remember the fact.

Most of the way up the river Hamilton attended to his business
navigation--he knew the stream very well--whilst Bones, in a cabin which
had been rigged up for him in the after part of the ship, played
Patience, and by a systematic course of cheating himself was able to
accomplish marvels. T