end it you,
this will show you your way through the timber belt." He cleared the
other end of the desk. "Sit here and make a note of the features of
the country."

It took Blake some time, but he had been taught such work and did it
carefully. When he had finished, Clarke resumed: "I'll give you a few
directions, and you had better take them down, but you'll want a canoe
and one or two Indians. I daresay I could enable you to get them, but
I think the service is worth fifty dollars."

"I'd be glad to pay it when we come back," Blake answered cautiously.
"It's possible that we mightn't find the Indians, and we might leave
the water and strike overland."

"As you like," Clarke said with a smile. "I'll give you the directions
before you go, but there's another matter I want to talk about." He
fixed his eyes on Blake. "You are a nephew of Colonel Challoner's."

"I am, but I can't see what connexion this has----"

Clarke stopped him. "It's not an impertinence. Hear me out. You were
a lieutenant of engineers and served in India, where you left the army."

"That is correct, but it's not a subject I'm disposed to talk about."

"So I imagined," Clarke said drily. "Still I would like to say that
there is some reason for believing you to be a badly treated man. You
have my sympathy."

"Thank you," said Blake. "I must remind you that I have given you no
grounds for offering it."

"A painful subject! But are you content to quietly suffer injustice?"

"I don't admit an injustice. Besides, I don't see what you can know
about the matter."

"A proper line to take with an outsider like myself; but I know you
were turned out of the army for a fault you did not commit."

Blake's face set sternly. "It's hard to understand how you arrived at
that flattering conclusion."

"I won't explain, but I'm convinced of its correctness," Clarke
rejoined, watching him. "One would imagine that the most important
matter is that you were driven out of a calling you liked and were sent
here, ruined in repute and fortune. Are you satisfied with your lot?
Haven't you the courage to insist upon being reinstated?"

"My reinstation would be difficult," Blake said curtly.

He would have left the house only that he was curious to learn where
the other's suggestions led and how much he knew. There was a moment's
silence, and then Clarke went on--

"A young man of ability, with means and influence behind him, has a
choice of ca