Of course, I see plainly
enough that the chances are greatly against my ever hearing anything
of Father; but from what has taken place during the campaign, I have
seen that there must be many British captives still hidden away among
the hill forts, and it is quite possible he may be among them. I do
not even say that it is probable, but the chances are not so very
greatly against it; and even if I thought they were smaller--much
smaller than I believe them to be--I should still consider it my duty
to go up and try and find him. So, even if it should happen that I
never come back again, you will not have yourself to blame, for it is
not you that are sending me, but I who am going of my free will; and
indeed, I feel it so much my duty that, even were you to turn round
now and ask me to stay, I should still think it right to undertake
this mission.
"But indeed, Mother, I see no great danger in it; in fact, scarcely
any danger at all--at any rate, unless I find Father. If I do so,
there might certainly be risk in attempting to get him away; but this,
if I am lucky enough in discovering him, will not weigh with me for an
instant. If I do not find him, it seems to me that the risk is a mere
nothing.
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