As in turn they kept watch in the darkness their hearts sank.
The next morning Blake was obviously worse.

He insisted irritably that he would be all right again in a day or two, but the others felt dubious.
"How often must I tell you that the thing will wear off ?" he said.
"You needn't look so glum." "I thought I was looking pretty cheerful," Harding objected with a forced laugh.

"Anyway, I've been working off my best stories for the last hour, and I really think that one about the Cincinnati man------" "You overdo the thing," Blake interrupted crossly; "and the way Benson grins at your thread-bare jokes would worry me if I were well! Do you suppose I'm a fool and don't know what you think ?" He raised himself on his elbow, speaking angrily.

"Try to understand that this is merely common malaria! I've had it several times; but it doesn't bother you when you're out of the tropics.

Why, Bertram--very good fellow, Bertram; so's his father.