By what ship do you sail?
It's not very pleasant here, is it ?" "I shall sail on the _Himalaya_ in a week's time." "Right!" said the official, and he nodded farewell and dipped his nose once more into his papers.
Hillyard walked to the door, conscious that he looked the fool he felt himself to be.

But at the door he turned in a sort of exasperation.
"Can't you tell me at all why Bendish's friend wants my help ?" he asked.
It was at this moment that the indifferent gentleman had the inspiration of his life.
"I haven't an idea, Mr.Hillyard," he replied.

"Perhaps he has got into difficulties in the writing of a revue." The answer certainly drove Hillyard from the room without another word.
He stood outside the door purple with heat and indignation.

Hillyard neither overrated nor decried his work.

But to be dragged away from the buffalo and the reed-buck of the Dinder River in order to be told that he was a writer of revues.