ld you, for
there are two friends in that jungle who will come out of it some day
expecting to find us awaiting them.

"Your officer, Captain Dufranne, is one of them, and the forest man who
has saved the lives of every member of my father's party is the other.

"He left me at the edge of the jungle two days ago to hasten to the aid
of my father and Mr. Clayton, as he thought, and he has stayed to
rescue Lieutenant D'Arnot; of that you may be sure.

"Had he been too late to be of service to the lieutenant he would have
been back before now--the fact that he is not back is sufficient proof
to me that he is delayed because Lieutenant D'Arnot is wounded, or he
has had to follow his captors further than the village which your
sailors attacked."

"But poor D'Arnot's uniform and all his belongings were found in that
village, Miss Porter," argued the captain, "and the natives showed
great excitement when questioned as to the white man's fate."

"Yes, Captain, but they did not admit that he was dead and as for his
clothes and accouterments being in their possession--why more civilized
peoples than these poor savage negroes strip their prisoners of every
article of value whether they intend killing them or not.

"Even the soldiers of my own dear South looted not only the living but
the dead. It is strong circumstantial evidence, I will admit, but it
is not positive proof."

"Possibly your forest man, himself was captured or killed by the
savages," suggested Captain Dufranne.

The girl laughed.

"You do not know him," she replied, a little thrill of pride setting
her nerves a-tingle at the thought that she spoke of her own.

"I admit that he would be worth waiting for, this superman of yours,"
laughed the captain. "I most certainly should like to see him."

"Then wait for him, my dear captain," urged the girl, "for I intend
doing so."

The Frenchman would have been a very much surprised man could he have
interpreted the true meaning of the girl's words.

They had been walking from the beach toward the cabin as they talked,
and now they joined a little group sitting on camp stools in the shade
of a great tree beside the cabin.

Professor Porter was there, and Mr. Philander and Clayton, with
Lieutenant Charpentier and two of his brother officers, while Esmeralda
hovered in the background, ever and anon venturing opinions and
comments with the freedom of an old and much-indulged family servant.

The officers aro