"Only this," said the doctor gravely; "we want manly action now, and you are as impatient as a boy of twelve." At that moment the professor entered the room, hooked stick in hand, and with his hat on, closely followed by the doctor's man, who stood with one hand held out and a puzzled look on his face, staring at the visitor, whose dress looked shabby and aspect wild, the want of what fashionable young men term "well grooming"--to wit, shaving, hair-cutting, and shampooing--making him appear ten years older than his real age. "Good morning, dear boys," he said, shaking hands warmly, and without taking off his hat. "Well, what is it?" He turned sharply upon Sam as he spoke. "Your hat, sir," said the man hesitatingly. "Well, what about it? It's mine, isn't it?" "Yes, sir; of course, sir. I thought you'd like me to take it and hang it up." "Then you thought wrong," said the professor, and he so thoroughly stared Sam out of countenance, that the man shrank from the fierce frown and backed out of the room. "Just as if a man can't do as he likes with his own hat," said the professor, with his face relaxing, as he crossed to one of the easy chairs, wheeled it forward, sat down, and then slipped off his hat, thrust his hand inside, whisked something out, and placed hat and stick under the table, before, with a good deal of flourish, he drew a very dingy-looking old scarlet fez over his starting black hair, with the big blue silk tassels hanging down behind, and settled himself comfortably by drawing up first one and then the other leg across and beneath him, _a la turque_. "There," he said, with a pleasant smile. "This chair isn't so comfortable as the sand of the desert, but I must make it do. Now I'm ready for business. What's the first thing to be done?" "To make arrangements for your start at once," said Frank sharply. "You will sail for Egypt, and make your preparations for going up the country, and I shall go with you." "Oh, you've settled that, have you?" said the professor, turning upon the speaker, and pulling the fez a little more tightly on, for his stiff hair had a disposition to thrust it off. "You two have been busy then, eh, Bob?" "Certainly not," said the doctor; "not a word has been said of this before." "That's right," said the professor. "Are you aware of what it will cost, Frank?" "No. A good deal, no doubt; but I have all that money to come when I am of age, and there is Harry's. There ought to be no difficulty about the executors advancing what is required." "Bob and your humble servant being the said executors," said the professor. "Of course not; but I did not mean money, Frank, I meant life. It would cost yours." "Well, I am ready to spend it," said the youth warmly, "so long as I can save my brother's." "Hah!" sighed the doctor. "That's very nicely spoken, Frank," said the professor, leaning forward to pat the young fellow on the arm, "but it's all sentiment." "Sentiment?"