He could not help it, it was congenital, though, curiously enough, this cowardice of his never prevented him from rushing into fresh danger.

Thus he knew that the expedition upon which I was engaged would be most hazardous; remembering his weakness I explained this to him very clearly.

Yet that knowledge did not deter him from imploring that he might be allowed to accompany me.

Perhaps this was because there was some mutual attachment between us, as in the case of Hans.

Once, a good many years before, I had rescued Sammy from a somewhat serious scrape by declining to give evidence against him.