urse," Guy went on, doggedly expansive now that he had once
plunged, "two thousand a year sounds pretty good, and it is not bad
to start upon. But there is no chance of its increasing; in fact, the
lawyer fellows say it may diminish. I know of no other way to make
money--had no sort of training for it. I'm not of a commercial turn
of mind. Fellows go into the City and brew beer or float companies,
whatever that may be."

"It means they sink other people's funds," explained Jack.

"Yes, I suppose it does. The guv'nor, y' know, never taught me how to
make a livelihood; wouldn't let me be a soldier; sent me to college, and
all that; wanted me to be a litterateur. Now I'm not literary."

"No, I shouldn't think you were."

"Remains Africa. I am not a clever chap, like you, Meredith."

"For which you may thank a gracious Providence," interposed Jack. "Chaps
like me are what some people call 'fools' in their uncouth way."

"But I know a little about Africa, and I know something about Durnovo.
That man has got a mania, and it is called Simiacine. He is quite
straight upon that point, whatever he may be upon others. He knows
this country, and he is not making any mistake about the Simiacine,
whatever--"

"His powers of sick-nursing may be," suggested Jack.

"Yes, that's it. We'll put it that way if you like."

"Thanks, I do prefer it. Any fool could call a spade a spade. The
natural ambition would be to find something more flowery and yet equally
descriptive."

Guy Oscard subsided into a monosyllabic sound.

"I believe implicitly in this scheme," he went on, after a pause. "It is
a certain fact that the men who can supply pure Simiacine have only to
name their price for it. They will make a fortune, and I believe that
Durnovo knows where it is growing in quantities."

"I cannot see how it would pay him to deceive us in the matter. That
is the best way of looking at it," murmured Jack reflectively. "When I
first met him, the man thought he was dying, and for the time I really
believe that he was honest. Some men are honest when they feel unwell.
There was so little doubt in my mind that I went into the thing at
once."

"If you will go on with it I will stand by you," said Oscard shortly.

"All right; I think we two together are as good as any half-bred sharper
on this coast, to put it gracefully."

Jack Meredith lighted a fresh cigarette, and leant back with the
somewhat exaggerated grace of movement which was i