Page:Hornung - Fathers of Men.djvu/126

 of the absolute adventure the whole thing must be to him, and has been from the very first morning when he got up early to look about for himself like a castaway exploring the coast!"

"Well, I only hope he's found the natives reasonably friendly!"

The sudden friendliness of the natives was of course Jan's greatest joy, as for once he revelled in the peace and quiet of the untidiest study in the house. He was more tired than he had ever been in his life before, but also happier than he had ever dreamt of being this term. The hot-water pipes threw a modicum of grateful warmth upon his aching legs, outstretched on the leg-rest of the folding-chair. The curtains were closely drawn, the candles burning at his elbow. On his knees lay a Gradus ad Pamassum, open, upon an open English-Latin; and propped against the candle-sticks was the exercise book in which he had taken down the beautiful English version of "Heraclitus" and a hint or two from Haigh. It is to be feared that the beauty was lost upon Jan, who was much too weary to make a very resolute attack upon a position which he was not equipped to capture, or to lead another forlorn hope in which the least degree of success would be deemed a suspicious circumstance. But he did make certain idle demonstrations with a pencil upon a bit of foolscap. And ten minutes before prayers he pulled himself sufficiently together to write his eight lines out in ink.

"Let's have a look," said Carpenter, as they waited for the Heriots in hall; and a look was quite enough. "I say, Tiger, you can't show this up! You'll be licked as sure as eggs are eggs," whispered Chips.

"I don't care."

"You would care. You simply shan't get this signed