The Dickinson press., 1891-10-17
also found him a spectacle too strong

that he would neverb be left in it if Twas
appointed vice-consul elsewhere.
Toward sunset he became excited. l
did not like the metallic glitter in his
eye. 1t recalledto me in an ugly
ner a certain visit | had paid to q
Chinese madhouse a little time pre-
viously. He was irritable, moreover,
and would not let me touch his pulse.
hut for the night, he objected.
mo, Randolph" he said, mot till
the moon there also goes to bed in the
antipodes. l particularly mean to be
awake tonight"
"Why?" / asked.
"Because | am us sure as l stand
here that ! saw one last night, and it
was when the moon was high. Ireckon
it went at about the rate of a yard a
minute. | mean to secure it; and l
should very much like to photograph
it before nabbing it.
"What are you talking about, old
chap" l asked again, with the dis
NAL fear at my heart that the fever or
sunstroke had affected his brain.
"The creeping plant, Randolph. 1t
was as we'll as l could guess at it
nine feet long, with flowers all the
way along 1.-THE calyx n bright blue.
! never saw anything so odd since |
was born. Do you know, | almost
lost my senses in a sort OF excitement
over it; and | suppose it got away in
the mean time, for when | tried to
find il again, | couldn't.."
l could only stare at him in bewil-
delment. He was certainly not Joking;
and yet the idea OF a plant OF this
description was to my unobservant
intelligence, perfectly ridiculous.
But poor Hammond did not like
believe me. | see!!" he exclaimed pet
tishly. ''That's ever the way with
you practical fellows. am thankful
Pm not practical. Anyhow, too, l
mean to get it this night alive or
dead-that's a clear thing"
"No, no; please don't think OF it."
/ entreated. "Wait till you're a bit
stronger, and then il you like, We'll do
nothing else but hunt this crawling
beanstalk, OF whatever it is"
81 am as strong as ever was, if /
may Judge bymy feelings, and so you
may as we'll make up your mind to
my going. Remember, Randolp phi,
that Pm your senior in the service,
and | won't put up with dlctation
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 l had no right
to interfere with his movements, but
that for his own sake he ought not to
go off in 'byjamas' again, as he did
before.
eyes. that was indiscreet," the deal
old fellow observed with asmile.
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 al
much as possible.
But l had no intention OF going to
bed. Somehow or other, ! fancied he
would wake and start off into the
woods, Just as he had done before
At the back of my mind l confess. too
there was a thinphantom OF curiosity
about the shape nine feet long, with
flowers upon it, which had fitted sc
well with Hammond's ideal of a creep
ing plant.
Accordingly l lit my pipe and read
the North China Herald until l begar
to feel drowsy. The paper had drop
ped from my hands, and / was pond
ering weakly about the likelihood O
some good-natured senior in the
service resolving to retire or die fol
the good of his juniors, when hearc
a rustling. My eyes opened sharply
Yes,it was as, with electrical prompt
itude, 1 had surmised-Hammonc
was bolt upright, s%taringat the moon
shine outside and pushingthe curtain.
away from him. 1 did not move, but
watched him between my half-closee
eyelids.
Consciousness seemed to some upor
him all in q moment. He bounded
from the chair and made for TIN
door. Then, with u look | shall
neverforget, returned back andsnatch
ed up the same blue blanket 1 hat
wrapped him in before. He hung i
over his shoulders and sped into tn
open. l followed HIM. And / had to b,
brisk, or else l should soon have los
sight of him, for the dark limbs of tn,
trees were thick enough to hide hin
for a quarter of o minute at a time
1t was a strange chase, this in thu
murmurous night, with aver and amor
the startled cry from a parrot, or 6
monkey resounding in the air. A bar
red-tailed pheasant shot over my
head with a wLirr that would have
made a man unused to such noises
wonder what was happening. Bats
too, went to and fro in themoonlight
now and then eclipsing the planet com
pletely.
Idon't know how long l followed
the poor fellow: l know only that
was much torn by the thorns on the
rose bushes which inpeded my move
ments. How sweet was the perfume
of these blossoms in the cool, humid
night air, / can recall at this moment
distinctly.
1t was almost by accident that l a
length came upon Hammond. II,
was STOPPING and peering here ant
there about a small spot Of common
grass with holes IN the ground and
thicket OF bramble and clematis a
one side. l did not notice it at first
but there was a wool ofpassion-flower
hanging from one OF the boughs Of
tree just over him. One OF the flower
was a superb specimen with dazzin
corolla.
Standing in the shade, 1 watche.
him. He began to poke among til
bramble with q bit OF stick. Thel
there was q movement, and with al
exclamation of "Did | not say sol
Hammond stepped tenderly asid
while-a great snake crept forth witt