indow was Hamilton's room, the left was Sanders's, the right was
Patricia's. He went carefully to the right window and knocked. There was
no answer. He knocked again. Still no reply. He knocked loudly.

"Is that you, Bones?" growled Sanders's voice.

Bones gasped.

"Awfully sorry, sir," he whispered agitatedly--"my mistake entirely."

He tiptoed to the left window and rapped smartly. Then he whistled, then
he rapped again.

He heard a bed creak, and turned his head modestly away.

"It's Bones, dear old sister," he said, in his loudest whisper. "Arise,
for mornin' in the bowl of light has----"

Hamilton's voice raged at him.

"I knew it was you, you blithering----"

"Dear old officer," began Bones, "awfully sorry! Go to sleep again.
Night-night!"

"Go to the devil!" said a muffled voice.

Bones, however, went to the middle window; here he could make no
mistake. He knocked authoritatively.

"Hurry up, ma'am," he said; "time is on the wing----"

The sash was flung up, and again Bones confronted the furious Hamilton.

"Sir," said the exasperated Bones, "how the dooce did you get here?"

"Don't you know this room has two windows? I told you last night, you
goop! Pat sleeps at the other end of the building. I told you that, too,
but you've got a brain like wool!"

"I am obliged to you, sir," said Bones, on his dignity, "for the
information. I will not detain you."

Hamilton groped on his dressing-table for a hair-brush.

"Go back to bed, sir," said Bones, "an' don't forget to say your
prayers."

He was searching for the window in the other wing of the Residency,
when the girl, who had been up and dressed for a quarter of an hour,
came softly behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Wow!" screeched Bones. "Oh, Lord, dear old sister, you gave me the
dickens of a fright! Well, let's get along. Thank heavens, we haven't
disturbed anybody."

He was followed to the boat with the imprecations of two pyjamaed
figures that stood on the stoep and watched his lank body melt in the
darkness.

"Send us a wireless when you're coming back!" roared Hamilton.

"Cad!" said Bones, between his teeth.

Ali Abid had not been idle. He had aroused Yoka, the steersman, and
Boosoobi, the engineer, and these two men had accepted the unexpected
call with the curious readiness which natives show on such occasions,
and which suggests that they have pre-knowledge of the summons, and are
only waiting the word.

In one of