NotStanleypenetratingforthefirsttimeintotheDarkContinent，notNapoleonleadinghisarmyacrosstheAlps，wasmoreweightedwithresponsibility，moreburdenedwithcare，moreovercomewiththesenseoftheimportanceofhisundertaking，thanwasMr。Sieppeduringthisperiodofpreparation。Fromdawntodark，fromdarktoearlydawn，hetoiledandplannedandfretted，organizingandreorganizing，projectinganddevising。Thetrunkswerelettered，A，B，andC，thepackagesandsmallerbundlesnumbered。Eachmemberofthefamilyhadhisespecialdutytoperform，hisparticularbundlestooversee。Notadetailwasforgotten——
fares，prices，andtipswerecalculatedtotwoplacesofdecimals。Eventheamountoffoodthatitwouldbenecessarytocarryfortheblackgreyhoundwasdetermined。
Mrs。Sieppewastolookafterthelunch，“dergomisariat。“
Mr。Sieppewouldassumechargeofthechecks，themoney，thetickets，and，ofcourse，generalsupervision。ThetwinswouldbeunderthecommandofOwgooste，who，inturn，wouldreportfororderstohisfather。
Dayinanddayouttheseminutiaewererehearsed。Thechildrenweredrilledintheirpartswithamilitaryexactitude；obedienceandpunctualitybecamecardinalvirtues。Thevastimportanceoftheundertakingwasinsisteduponwithscrupulousiteration。Itwasamanoeuvre，anarmychangingitsbaseofoperations，averitabletribalmigration。