ecdotes which were suggestively complimentary to
himself.

Thus he wrote to one pal of his at Biggestow to the effect that he was
known to the natives as "The-Man-Who-Never-Sleeps," meaning thereby that
he was a most vigilant and relentless officer, and the recipients of
this information, fired with a sort of local patriotism, sent the
remarkable statement to the _Biggestow Herald and Observer and Hindhead
Guardian_, thereby upsetting all Bones' artful calculations.

"What the devil does 'Man-Who-Never-Sleeps' mean?" asked a puzzled
Hamilton.

"Dear old fellow," said Bones, incoherently, "don't let's discuss it ...
I can't understand how these things get into the bally papers."

"If," said Hamilton, turning the cutting over in his hand, "if they
called you 'The-Man-Who-Jaws-So-Much-That-Nobody-Can-Sleep,' I'd
understand it, or if they called you
'The-Man-Sleeps-With-His-Mouth-Open-Emitting-Hideous-Noises,' I could
understand it."

"The fact is, sir," said Bones, in a moment of inspiration, "I'm an
awfully light sleeper--in fact, sir, I'm one of those chaps who can get
along with a couple of hours' sleep--I can sleep anywhere at any
time--dear old Wellin'ton was similarly gifted--in fact, sir, there are
one or two points of resemblance between Wellington and I, which you
might have noticed, sir."

"Speak no ill of the dead," reproved Hamilton; "beyond your eccentric
noses I see no points of resemblance."

It was on a morning following the dispatch of the mail that Hamilton
took a turn along the firm sands to settle in his mind the problem of a
certain Middle Island.

Middle Islands, that is to say the innumerable patches of land which
sprinkle the river in its broad places, were a never-ending problem to
Sanders and his successor. Upon these Middle Islands the dead were laid
to rest--from the river you saw the graves with fluttering ragged flags
of white cloth planted about them--and the right of burial was a matter
of dispute when the mainland at one side of the river was Isisi land,
and Akasava the other. Also some of the larger Middle Islands were
colonized.

Hamilton had news of a coming palaver in relation to one of these.

Now, on the river, it is customary for all who desire inter-tribal
palavers to announce their intention loudly and insistently. And if
Sanders had no objection he made no move, if he did not think the
palaver desirable he stopped it. It was a simple arrangement, and it
worked.

Ha