me into it to look after _your_ interests; but I fancy you'll
agree with me that a man's first duty, in affairs like this at any rate,
is to look after his own."

Moreas tried to laugh unconcernedly, but the result was a comparative
failure.

CHAPTER XV.

To attempt a detailed description of Max's wanderings for the next few
months would, even with the help of his diary, prove, I fear, a task
altogether beyond my abilities. On the morning following the interview I
have just described as taking place at Moreas' house, they embarked upon
the train at a wayside station, a few miles out of Rio, and remained in
it until they had proceeded as far as it was possible for the line to
take them. Having reached the end of the construction, they alighted at
a miserable village consisting of some twenty or thirty houses of the
typical Brazilian type, and collected their impedimenta. Such stores and
equipments as they intended carrying with them had already arrived, as
also had the mules which had been purchased for the journey. Moreas, by
virtue of being the only person who knew the secret, was duly installed
as leader of the expedition; and, seeing that the day was too far
advanced for them to make a start, he decided on remaining in the
village that night, and proceeding as soon as it was light next morning.
Being anxious to obtain as much information as possible concerning the
track they were to follow for the next hundred miles, Moreas invited
certain of the leading inhabitants to sup with them that night. This
gave rise to a regular orgie. By midnight Moreas was decidedly
intoxicated, while the two Spaniards were incapable of even sitting
upright, so were stretched at full length upon the floor. Disgusted
beyond measure with what he saw, Max left the room and passed into the
verandah. There he found the Englishman, Bertram, smoking a cigar. He
had taken a liking to the man, and cherished a belief that the feeling
was reciprocated. "So you have had enough of it, too," said the latter
as Max approached. "I couldn't stand any more of it, so I came out
here."

"My case is very similar," answered Max. "It's a good thing this sort of
thing is not likely to occur very often."

"I agree with you," returned the other. "Moreas and the Spaniards are
very well when they are sober, but when they are drunk they are
altogether impossible. Forgive me asking the question, but have you
known Moreas very long?"

"A matter of two y