Chapter 12

There were three friends that buried the fourth,
The mould in his mouth and the dust in his eyes
And they went south and east, and north,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies.

There were three friends that spoke of the dead,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies.--
'And would he were with us now,' they said,
'The sun in our face and the wind in our eyes.'
-- Ballad.

THE NILGHAI was angry with Torpenhow. Dick had been sent to
bed,--blind men are ever under the orders of those who can see,--and
since he had returned from the Park had fluently sworn at Torpenhow
because he was alive, and all the world because it was alive and could
see, while he, Dick, was dead in the death of the blind, who, at the best,
are only burdens upon their associates. Torpenhow had said something
about a Mrs. Gummidge, and Dick had retired in a black fury to handle
and re-handle three unopened letters from Maisie.

The Nilghai, fat, burly, and aggressive, was in Torpenhow's rooms.

Behind him sat the Keneu, the Great War Eagle, and between them lay a
large map embellished with black-and-white-headed pins.

'I was wrong about the Balkans,' said the Nilghai. 'But I'm not wrong
about this business. The whole of our work in the Southern Soudan must
be done over again. The public doesn't care, of course, but the
government does, and they are making their arrangements quietly. You
know that as well as I do.'

'I remember how the people cursed us when our troops withdrew from
Omdurman. It was bound to crop up sooner or later. But I can't go,' said
Torpenhow. He pointed through the open door; it was a hot night. 'Can
you blame me?'

The Keneu purred above his pipe like a large and very happy cat--
'Don't blame you in the least. It's uncommonly good of you, and all the
rest of it, but every man--even you, Torp--must consider his work. I know
it sounds brutal, but Dick's out of the race,--down,--gastados expended,
finished, done for. He has a little money of his own. He won't starve, and
you can't pull out of your slide for his sake. Think of your own
reputation.'

'Dick's was five times bigger than mine and yours put together.'

'That was because he signed his name to everything he did. It's all ended
now. You must hold yourself in readiness to move out. You can command
your own prices, and you do better work than any three of us.'

'Don't tell me how tempting it is. I'll stay here to look after Dick for a
while. He's as cheerful as a bear with a sore head, but I think he likes to
have me near him.'

The Nilghai said something uncomplimentary about soft-headed fools
who throw away their careers for other fools. Torpenhow flushed
angrily. The constant