ot fit to carry her picture. You
keep it. Trent--you keep it--and give me the brandy."

He staggered up on to his feet and crept back into the hut. His hands
were outstretched, claw-like and bony, his eyes were fierce as a wild
cat's. But Trent stood between him and the brandy bottle.

"Look here," he said, "you shall have the picture back--curse you! But
listen. If I were you and had wife, or daughter, or sweetheart like this
"--he touched the photograph almost reverently--"why, I'd go through
fire and water but I'd keep myself decent; ain't you a silly old fool,
now? We've made our piles, you can go back and take her a fortune, give
her jewels and pretty dresses, and all the fal-de-lals that women love.
You'll never do it if you muddle yourself up with that stuff. Pull
yourself together, old 'un. Chuck the drink till we've seen this thing
through at any rate!"

"You don't know my little girl," Monty muttered. "How should you? She'd
care little for money or gewgaws, but she'd break her heart to see her
old father--come to this--broken down--worthless--a hopeless, miserable
wretch. It's too late. Trent, I'll have just a glass I think. It will do
me good. I have been fretting, Trent, you see how pale I am."

He staggered towards the bottle. Trent watched him, interfering no
longer. With a little chuckle of content he seized upon it and, too
fearful of interference from Trent to wait for a glass, raised it to his
lips. There was a gurgling in his throat--a little spasm as he choked,
and released his lips for a moment. Then the bottle slid from his
nerveless fingers to the floor, and the liquor oozed away in a little
brown stream; even Trent dropped his pack of cards and sprang up
startled. For bending down under the sloping roof was a European, to all
appearance an Englishman, in linen clothes and white hat. It was the man
for whom they had waited.

CHAPTER IV

Trent moved forward and greeted the newcomer awkwardly. "You're Captain
Francis," he said. "We've been waiting for you."

The statement appeared to annoy the Explorer. He looked nervously at the
two men and about the hut.

"I don't know how the devil you got to hear of my coming, or what you
want with me," he answered brusquely. "Are you both English?"

Trent assented, waving his hand towards his companion in introductory
fashion.

"That's my pal, Monty," he said. "We're both English right enough."

Monty raised a flushed face and gazed with bloo