“I’ll stay.” He took her hand in both of his. “There’s a chance, though it is a faint one, that your brother is alive. Sanders says there is no doubt that those men left him to die--there is no proof that he is dead. I shall stay long enough to convince myself one way or the other.” The boat was ready now, and Sanders was discreetly watching the steamer that lay anchored a mile from the shore in four fathoms of water. “Au revoir,” she said, and her lip trembled. Amber held out his arms to her, and she came to him without fear. He held her tight for the space of a few seconds, and she lifted her face to his. “Au revoir, my love,” he whispered, and kissed her lips. * * * * * Amber left the next morning for the Alebi, and with him went Abiboo, a taciturn sergeant of Houssas and Sanders’ right-hand man. It was a conventional African journey into the bush. The monotony of hot marches by day, of breathless humming nights, of village palavers, of sudden tropical storms where low-lying yellow clouds came tumbling and swirling across the swaying tree-tops, and vivid lightnings flickered incessantly through the blue-dark forest. The party followed the beaten track which led from village to village, and at each little community inquiries were made, but no white man had been seen since Lambaire and Whitey had passed. On the twenty-eighth day of the march, the expedition reached the place where Lambaire had said Sutton died. Here, in accordance with his plans, Amber established something of a permanent camp. Accompanied by Abiboo he inspected the spot where the handkerchief and diamonds had been found, and the depression where the “grave” had been located. “Master,” said Abiboo, “it was here that a hole had been dug.” “I see no hole,” said Amber. He spoke in Arabic: there was a time when Captain Ambrose Grey had been a secretary of legation, and his knowledge of Arabic was a working one. An examination of the ground showed the depression to be the dried bed of a watercourse. Amber explored it for a mile in either direction without discovering any sign of the opening which Abiboo had led him to expect. In some places it was overgrown with a thick tangle of elephant grass and a variety of wild bramble which is found in African forests. “Water has been here,” said Abiboo, “but _cala cala_,” which means long ago. The fact that the grave had disappeared proved nothing. The heavy rains which they had experienced on the march would have been sufficient to wash down the débris and the loose earth which had stood about the hole. For three weeks Amber pursued his investigations. From the camp he sent messengers to every village within a radius of fifty miles, without finding any trace of Sutton.