"I am not alarmed, Henry," said the little lady, in a quiet, decided way; "and I insist upon your being properly fortified before unduly exerting yourself. I could not bear for you to be ill." The words were said very quietly, but in such a tone that Dr Bolter set down his cup, and rising, left his place, and tenderly embraced the earnest little woman he had made his wife. "I will take all the care I can, my dear Mary," he said. "I know you will, Henry," said the little lady, whose lip quivered slightly as she spoke; "but now go and finish your breakfast, and then start. Don't be uneasy about me, dear, but go and do what you think best under the circumstances." "I will, my love--I will," said Dr Bolter, with his mouth full of toast. "It all sounds very alarming, dear, but I cannot help thinking that it will be explained in a very simple manner." "I hope so." "You see there are four of them; and as Arthur is one, I think we may feel assured." "Well, my dear these are business times," said the doctor, "and we must speak in business ways. Arthur is the best old fellow in the world; but I am sorry to say that he is a terrible old woman." "Henry!" said the lady, reproachfully. "Well, my dear, he is. Now, would you have much confidence in him if it were a case of emergency?" "I--I think I would sooner trust to you, Henry," said the little lady, softly; "but do make haste and get a good breakfast. If you want me, send a message, and I will come directly." "All right," said the doctor, rising once more. "Now I'm off." "But one moment, Henry," said the little lady, whose feelings now got the upper hand. "Tell me, dear--do you think anything dreadful has happened?" "What do you call dreadful, my dear?" said the doctor, cheerily. "That the crocodiles--" She did not finish, but looked imploringly at her lord. "Bah!--stuff!--nonsense! No, Mary, I don't." "Then that this dreadful Rajah has carried them off?" "If it had only been Madam Helen, I should have felt suspicious; but what could he want with Hilton and Chumbley, or with our Arthur?" "To marry them," suggested Mrs Bolter. "Stuff! my dear, not he. If Murad had carried her off, he would not have bothered about a parson." "But Arthur was waiting about her all the evening." "So he was, my dear." "And he may have killed Hilton and poor Mr Chumbley, while they were defending her." "Yes, he might, certainly," said the doctor, drily; "but how the--" "Henry!" "I only meant dickens. I say how the dickens he was going to carry her off when he was at the party all the time I can't see." "But was he?" "To the very last. Oh! it will all settle itself into nothing, unless Arthur has taken Helen off into the jungle and married her himself, with Hilton and Chumbley for witnesses." "Is this a time for joking, Henry?" said the little lady, reproachfully. "Really, my dear, it would be no joke if Arthur had his own way."