ave only to go to a bootmaker's and then we have
done."

When the orders were completed they separated, as Mr. Goodenough was
going down that afternoon to the country, and was not to return until
the day preceding that on which they were to sail. That evening Frank
had a long chat with his two friends, and was much pleased when the old
naturalist, who had taken a great fancy to the honest porter, offered
him the use of a room at his house, saying that he should be more
than paid by the pleasure of his company of an evening. The offer was
accepted, and Frank was glad to think that his two friends would be
sitting smoking their pipes together of an evening instead of being in
their solitary rooms. The next day he took up his residence in Eaton
square.

CHAPTER VIII: TO THE DARK CONTINENT

After spending two or three days going about London and enjoying himself
with his friend Dick, Frank started for Deal, where he was pleased to
find his sister well and happy. He bade goodbye to her, to the doctor,
and such of his schoolfellows as lived in Deal, to whom his start for
Central Africa was quite an event. Dr. Bateman handed over to him his
watch and chain and his blowgun, which he had taken care of for him,
also his skinning knives and instruments. The same evening he returned
to town, and spent the days very pleasantly until the afternoon came
when he was to depart. Then he bade farewell to his kind friends Sir
James and Lady Ruthven. Dick accompanied him in the cab to Euston
station, where a minute or two later Mr. Goodenough arrived. The luggage
was placed in a carriage, and Frank stood chatting with Dick at the
door, until the guard's cry, "Take your places!" caused him to jump into
the carriage. There was one more hearty handshake with his friend, and
then the train steamed out of the station.

It was midnight when they arrived at Liverpool, and at once went to bed
at the Station Hotel. On coming down in the morning Frank was astonished
at the huge heap of baggage piled up in the hall, but he was told that
this was of daily occurrence, as six or eight large steamers went
out from Liverpool every week for America alone, and that the great
proportion of the passengers came down, as they had done, on the
previous night, and slept at the Station hotel. Their own share of
the baggage was not large, consisting only of a portmanteau each, Mr.
Goodenough having sent down all his boxes two days previously. At
twelve o'