The Forrest City times., 1891-08-28
"whv. YOU know you have been III

right along to bed again"
 He said nothing to this, but allowed the boy and me to take care of him. must say he looked a strange object wrapped up in the blue blanket which l had seized for the purpose when we went after him, and especially when the moon shone upon him through the teak trees of the forest. The scurry ing among the branches overhead seemed to imply that the monkeys also found him 8 spectacle too strong | for their nerves.
 He was better in the afternoon, and | talked of the service and other mat ters in perfectly rational manner It seems he had written to Pekin, beg ging to be removed from Annoy; and he discussed the chances of favorable | reply to his letter rationally enough, though with a disregard for the be- reavement that in that case should suffer puzzled me. For he was natur- | ally the most unselfish of men and he had over and over again said he would never leave Annoy without me, and that he would never be left in 1t If Twas 1 appointed vice-consul elsewhere. l Toward sunset he became excited. did not like the metallic glitter in his eye. It recalled to me in an ugly man. ner certain visit 1 had paid to a 1 Chinese madhouse little time pre- viously. He was irritable, moreover, and would not let me touch his pulse. When wanted him to come into the hut for the night, he objected.
 No, Randolph" he said. mot till the moon there also goes to bed in the antipodes. particularly mean to be awake tonight"
 "Why?" l asked.
 1 Because l am as sure as I stand here that saw one last night, and 1t was when the moon was high. Ireckon 1t went at about the rate of yard minute. l mean to secure it; and I | should very much like to photograph it before nabbing 1t.
 What are you talking about, old l chap?' I asked again, with the dis nal fear at my heart that the fever or sunstroke had affected h.s brain.
 "The creeping plant, Randolph. It was as well as 1 could guess at it nine feet long, with flowers all the way along it-the calyx a bright blue. 1 l never saw anything so odd since l was born. Do you know, 1 almost | lost my senses in a sort of excitement over it. and suppose it got away in 1 the mean time, for when l tried to | find 1t again, 1 couldn't"
 l could only stare at him in bewi- l derment. He was certainly not joking; and yet the idea of plant of this | description was to my unobservant | taii N.f +I,y, ,s,l,.,,ly,,, | But poor Hammond did not like my incredulous look. You don't believe me. l see" he exclaimed pet tishly. That's ever the way with you practical fellows. am thankful I'm not practical. Anyhow, too, 1 mean to get it this night alive or dead-that's clear thing"
 No, no; please don't think of it." l entreated Wait till you re a bit stronger, and then If you like; we'll do nothing else but hunt this crawling l beanstalk, or whatever it is"
 'I am as strong as ever 1 was, if I may judge by my feelings, and so you may as we'll make up your mind to my going. Remember, Randolph, that I'm your senior in the service, and l won't put up with dictation from you or any other man of your time of life"
 could only shrug my shoulders, and suggested to him as casually as possible that of course had no right to interfere with his movements, but that for his own sake he ought not to go of in 'byiamas' again. as he did before.
 "Yes, that was indiscreet," the dear old fellow observed with smile. We humored him for the rest of the evening, and at length he fell asleep in his bamboo couch-chair, and we GOV cred him lightly and arranged the mosquito curtains to protect him as much as possible.
 But had no intention of going to bed. Somehow or other. fancied he would wake and start of into the woods, just as he had done before At the back of my mind confess. too, there was thin phantom of curiosity about the shape nine feet long, with | flowers upon 1t, which had fitted so well with Hammond's s ideal of creep ing plant.
 Accordingly I lit my pipe and read | the North China Herald until l began to feel drowsy. The paper had drop ped from my hands, and was pond ering weakly about the likelihood of some good -natured senior in the service resolving to retire or die for the good of his juniors, when 1 heard a rustling. My eyes opened sharply. 1es,lt was as, with electrical prompt itude. had surmised- Hammond was bolt upright, staring at the moon shine outside and pushing the curtains away from him. l did not move, but watched him between my half-closed eyellds.
 | Consciousness seemed to some upon him all Tn a moment He bounded from the chair and made for the door, Then, with look I shall neverforget. he turned back and snatch ed up the same blue blanket l had wrapped him in before He hung it over hls shoulders and sped into the | open. followed ihm And had to be | brisk, or else should soon have lost sight of him. for the dark limbs of the trees were thick enough to hide him for quarter of minute at a time
 It was strange chase, this in the murmurous night, with ever and anon the startled cry from n parrot. or q monkey resounding in the air A bar
 red-talled pheasant shot over my head with a wlirr that would have made man unused to such noises wonder what was happening. Bats,