ck doctor be hanged!" cried the professor; "where's the mockery? The
people out there suffer by scores and thousands from eye complaints and
other evils, and as to the number you meet with who have been chopped
and speared and shot--why, the place teems with them. Couldn't you do
them good?"

"Well, of course I could," said the doctor thoughtfully. "I should say
that with antiseptic treatment one's cures would seem almost marvellous
to the poor wretches."

"Of course they would. I doctored scores myself when I was out there,"
said the professor. "Now, look here; I mean to go out there, of course,
and I shall take you with me, Bob."

"What!"

"No whatting. You've got to go; that's settled. You're the great
Frankish Hakim, and I'm your interpreter. You can't speak a word of
Arabic. There's no imposture in that, is there?"

"Oh, no; I can't speak a word of Arabic, but as to the doctoring--"

"Look here, Bob; you'd be doing these people good, wouldn't you?"

"Of course."

"Well, then, there's no imposture there. We'll go right up to Khartoum,
together with our servants, and get the poor boy away. That's settled,
so you had better lay in your stock of ointment-pots, bottles,
plaisters, and pills."

"Well, I'm beginning to think I'm dreaming," said the doctor.

"But you are not," said the professor, and he turned to Frank, who was
excitedly listening to all that was said. "Now then, my boy," he said,
"we've settled that; but I can't see that by any possibility you could
come with us."

"I can," said the lad eagerly. "You talked about having servants with
you."

"Yes, blacks," said the professor. "It would not do to take white
ones."

"Very well, then, I'll go as a black."

The doctor and the professor turned upon the speaker sharply, and fixed
him with their eyes, as if doubtful about the state of his mind, gazing
at him in silence, till he laughed merrily.

"I have not lost a slate or tile," he said. "I am quite what Morris
calls _compos mentis_."

"No," said the doctor sharply; "I'll be hanged if you can be, Frank, my
lad."

"And so say I," chimed in the professor. "How in the world can you go
as a black?"

"Bah!" cried Frank.

"What does _Baa_! mean?" said the professor. "Black sheep?"

"Nonsense! Ask Morris if it would not be as easy as easy to tinge one's
skin to any depth, from a soft brown to black."

"Won't do," said the professor. "You'd dye your face, neck, and arms,