I have talked that over. The plan we fixed upon was
that you and he each put a thousand pounds into it; I put five hundred.
For the first two years we share the profits equally. After that we must
come to some fresh arrangement, should you or Meredith wish to give up
an active part in the affair. I presume you would not object to coming
up at the end of a year, with a handy squad of men to bring down the
crop under escort?"

"No," replied Oscard, after a moment's reflection. "I should probably be
able to do that."

"I reckon," continued the other, "that the journey down could be
accomplished in two months, and each time you do the trip you will
reduce your time."

"Yes."

"Of course," Durnovo went on, with the details which he knew were music
in Oscard's ears, "of course we shall be a clumsy party going up.
We shall have heavy loads of provisions, ammunition, and seeds for
cultivating the land up there."

"Yes," replied Guy Oscard absently. In his ears there rang already the
steady plash of the paddle, the weird melancholy song of the boatmen,
the music of the wind amidst the forest trees.

Durnovo rose briskly.

"Then," he said, "you will join us? I may telegraph out to Meredith that
you will join us?"

"Yes," replied Oscard simply. "You may do that."

"There is no time to be lost," Durnovo went on. "Every moment wasted
adds to the risk of our being superseded. I sail for Loango in a
fortnight; will you come with me?"

"Yes."

"Shall I take a passage for you?"

"Yes."

Durnovo held out his hand.

"Good-bye," he said. "Shall I always find you here when I want you?"

"Yes--stay, though! I shall be going away for a few days. Come to-morrow
to luncheon, and we will settle the preliminaries."

"Right--one o'clock?"

"One o'clock."

When Durnovo had gone Guy sat down and wrote to Lady Cantourne accepting
her invitation to spend a few days at Cantourne Place, on the Solent. He
explained that his visit would be in the nature of a farewell, as he was
about to leave for Africa for a little big-game hunting.

CHAPTER IX. TO PASS THE TIME

Quand on n'a pas ce que l'on aime, il faut aimer ce que l'on a.

"Your energy, my dear lady, is not the least of many attributes."

Lady Cantourne looked up from her writing-desk with her brightest smile.
Sir John Meredith was standing by the open window, leaning against the
jamb thereof with a grace that had lost its youthful repose. He was
looking ou