"Humph! Come, that sounds respectable. Well, I don't mean to stir out till we start up country. I'd go to-night if I could. And I leave it to you to see into this matter. It wouldn't be Christian-like, would it, not to lend the poor fellow a hand. There, as I said before, I trust to you, _carte blanche_, in that sort of thing to do what you think best." "Thank you, Sir James," said the doctor gravely. "Oh, you thoroughly approve of what I have said, then?" "Thoroughly, sir, and I feel very proud of our boys." And so it came to pass that Daniel Mann--after the doctor had seen him and had had an interview with the British Consul--was prescribed for with the news that he would be taken upon the expedition. Thanks to this intelligence, he looked at the end of two days quite a different man, even after hearing from the two keepers the anything but cheering words that they thought the governor must be mad. Two days later the party, bag and baggage, were on their way up country to the extreme point, the rail head, so to speak, of civilisation--the spot where the advance guard of British troops kept back the black wave of savagedom, and where waggons and bullocks were to be purchased and the career of wild adventure was to begin. CHAPTER FIVE. DAN'S DOUBTS. It had been a long slow journey, but every day as they ascended, the weather, though hot, was tempered by crisp breezes which the doctor declared to be a joy to breathe. "Health, boys," he said. "Why, can't you feel that you are growing and enjoying life? If you want any proof of the healthiness of the country, look at that sailor." "Yes; isn't it wonderful!" cried Mark. "Yes," said Dean; "uncle was talking about it only this morning. He asked me if I didn't see how his colour was altering." "Oh, that's only the sun," said Mark. "Think so?" said the doctor, smiling. "I think it's more than that." "But it was getting out of that nasty damp oven of a port," said Mark. "I felt horrible there, and as if I should be ill if we stopped." "So did I," added Dean; "and didn't it make--" The boy paused for a moment as if hesitating. "Well, didn't it make what?" "--Mark disagreeable," said the boy, with a merry, mischievous look. "Oh, come, I like that!" cried Mark. "Why, you must have noticed, doctor. Dean was nearly always half asleep, and when he was awake he did nothing but find fault." A short time after, when the boys were alone, Mark suddenly turned sharply upon his cousin with, "I say, why did you stop short when we were talking to the doctor?" Dean turned rather red. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What do I mean? You know." "I know?" "Yes; you were going to say that father was dreadfully cross all the time. Come, confess." "Well," said Dean hesitating, "I am afraid I did think something of the kind."