cried the professor excitedly, "and brother, that man ever had.
The brother we three have mourned as dead for years, but who lives--as a
slave."

"Britons never shall be slaves," cried the doctor solemnly.

"Never!" said Frank through his teeth, and with a look of stern
determination in his eyes which meant more than words could have
expressed.

"Never!" cried the professor, bringing his fist down with such a crash
that this time a large goblet leaped off the table, was smashed upon the
floor, and the next moment the door was thrown open and Sam, the
doctor's butler, as he called himself, looking white with anxiety,
rushed into the room, to stand staring wildly from one to the other.

This quelled the professor's excitement at once, and he dropped back in
his chair and began mopping his face.

"What's the matter, Samuel?" said the doctor sternly.

"That's what I've come to see, sir," cried the man piteously. "I did
stop in the hall, sir, in aggynies, waiting to know. First in comes Mr
Frank when I opens the door to him and hits me in the chest hard, just
like a patient as has got rid of the strait w. Into the dining-room he
bangs, before I could announce him, and without a bit o' pollergy, slams
the door after him. Then master goes into his consulting-room in a
hurry and comes back with a something to exhibit, looking as he always
do when there's anything serious on; and ever since it's been getting
worse and worse, and you never rung for me, sir. Fancy my feelings,
sir! First s'posing as it was fits with Mr Frank, sir; then it seemed
to be you, sir; and then the professor went on, having it worse than
either of you, sir, till it got to the smashing of my glass, and I
couldn't bear it no longer."

"No, no, of course you couldn't, Sam," cried Frank; "and you must know
at once. It's news, Sam--glorious news--the best of news. My brother
is alive after all!"

"What!" cried the man. "Mr Harry, sir?"

"Yes, alive, Sam--alive!"

"What, him as was dead, sir?"

"Yes, alive, I tell you."

"What, him as was killed out in the Soudan--our Mr Harry, sir, as we
give the dinner to in this very room, when he made that speech as I
stood and heared to the very end?"

"Yes, Sam; yes, yes!" cried Frank, as excited now as the man, who now
dashed at him and seized him by the hand and shook it with all his
might.

"Then--then--then," he cried. "Oh, Mr Frank--oh, Mr Frank--oh, Mr
Frank!"

Dropping the young man'