it
more funds, and send out heaps o' Bibles, an' no end o' missionaries?"

"Tim Rokens," said the doctor, looking earnestly into his companion's
face, "if I were one of the missionaries, I might ask you how much money
_you_ ever gave to enable societies to send Bibles and missionaries to
foreign lands?"

Tim Rokens was for once in his life completely taken aback. He was by
nature a stolid man, and not easily put out. He was a shrewd man, too,
and did not often commit himself. When he did, he was wont to laugh at
himself, and so neutralise the laugh raised against him. But here was a
question that was too serious for laughter, and yet one which he could
not answer without being self-condemned. He looked gravely in the
doctor's face for two minutes without speaking; then he heaved a deep
sigh, and said slowly, and with a pause between each word--

"Doctor Hopley--I--never--gave--a--rap--in--all--my--life."

"So then, my man," said the doctor, smiling, "you're scarcely entitled
to be indignant with others."

"Wot you remark, doctor, is true; I--am--not."

Having thus fully and emphatically condemned himself, and along with
himself all mankind who are in a similar category, Tim Rokens relapsed
into silence, deliberately drew forth his pipe, filled it, lit it, and
began to smoke.

None of the party of travellers slept well that night, except perhaps
the trader, who was accustomed to the ways of the negroes, and King
Bumble, who had been born and bred in the midst of cruelties. Most of
them dreamed of savage orgies, and massacres of innocent children, so
that when daybreak summoned them to resume their journey, they arose and
embarked with alacrity, glad to get away from the spot.

During that day and the next they saw a great number of crocodiles and
hippopotami, besides strange birds and plants innumerable. The doctor
filled his botanical-box to bursting. Ailie filled her flower-basket to
overflowing. Glynn hit a crocodile on the back with a bullet, and
received a lazy stare from the ugly creature in return, as it waddled
slowly down the bank on which it had been lying, and plumped into the
river. The captain assisted Ailie to pluck flowers when they landed,
which they did from time to time, and helped to arrange and pack them
when they returned to the canoe. Tim Rokens did nothing particularly
worthy of record; but he gave utterance to an immense number of
sententious and wise remarks, which were listen