een arranged, the train was entered once more, and after two or three
stoppages to avoid over-wearying the patient, Trieste was reached, where
a couple of days had to be passed before the arrival of the steamer
which was to take them to Smyrna, and perhaps farther, though the
professor was of opinion that it might be wise to make that the
starting-place for the interior.

But when the steamer arrived a delay of five days more ensued before a
start was made; and all this time the invalid's companions watched him
anxiously.

It was in these early days a difficult thing to decide, and several
times over the professor and Mr Burne nearly came to an open rupture--
one sufficiently serious to spoil the prospects of future friendly
feeling.

But these little tiffs always took place unknown to Lawrence, who
remained in happy ignorance of what was going on.

The disagreements generally happened something after this fashion.

Lawrence would be seated in one of the verandahs of the hotel enjoying
the soft warm sea-breeze, and gazing out at the scene glowing in all the
brightness of a southern sun, when the old lawyer would approach the
table where, out of the lad's sight and hearing, the professor was
seated writing.

The first notice the latter had of his fellow-traveller's approach would
be the loud snapping of the snuff-box, which was invariably followed by
a loud snuffling noise, and perhaps by a stentorian blast. Then the
lawyer would lean his hand upon the table where the professor was
writing with:

"Really, my dear sir, you might put away your pens and ink for a bit.
I've left mine behind. Here, I want to talk to you."

The professor politely put down his pen, leaned back in his chair and
folded his arms.

"Hah! that's better," said Mr Burne. "Now we can talk. I wanted to
speak to you about that boy."

"I am all attention," said the professor.

"Well, sir, there's a good German physician here as well as the English
one. Don't you think we ought to call both in, and let them have a
consultation?"

"What about?" said the professor calmly.

"About, sir? Why, _re_ Lawrence."

"But he seems certainly better, and we have Doctor Snorter's remedies if
anything is necessary."

"Better, sir? decidedly worse. I have been watching him this morning,
and he is distinctly more feeble."

"Why, my dear Mr Burne, he took my arm half an hour ago, and walked up
and down that verandah without seeming in the least d