Part 40 (2/2)

”Losebi Mission

”Dear Mr Corateful to you for your warning, but God has called us to this place, and here weabout our Master's business, until He, in His wisdom, ordains that we shall leave the scene of our labours”

Father Holling wrote:

”Ebendo River

”Dear Sanders,-I think you are wrong about the Lulungo people, several of whohty civil, which is the only bad sign I have detected I shall stay because I think I can fight off any attack they make I have four Martini-Metford rifles, and three thousand rounds of ammunition, and this house, as you know, is built of stone I hope you are wrong, but--”

Sanders took his steaun, and his Houssa police, and went up the river, as far as the little stern-wheeler would carry him At the end of every day's journey he would come to a place where the forest had been cleared, and where, stacked on the beach, was an orderly pile of wood Soe whose contribution to the State this ever-replenished wood-pile was Night and day two soundingat the steamer's bow, ”stubbed” the water monotonously Shoal, sandbank, channel, shoal So the flat surface of a hidden bank, and go flop into the deep water on the other side; soht, the boat would jump a bank to find itself in a little ”lake” froress Then the men would slip over the sides of the vessel and walk the sandy floor of the river, pushi+ng the steamer into deep water When sixty ot news froo ca away the hter, to their city”

Sanders, yelloith fever, heavy-eyed frorimy, wiped the perspiration from his head with the back of his hand

”Take the steamer up the river,” he said to Abiboo ”I must sleep”

He akened at four o'clock in the afternoon by the s of a water-bottle, which stood on a shelf by his bunk It smashed for no apparent reason, and he was sprinkled with bits of glass and gouts of water

Then he heard a rifle go ”pang!” close at hand, and as he sprang up and opened the oven door of his cabin, Abiboo ca from the bank,” he said ”One I have shot”

They were nearing the village now, and turning a sharp bend of the river they caht of it, and the little Zaire's siren yelled and squealed defiantly

Sanders saw a crowd of litter of spears, and through his glasses the paint on the bodies of theout to meet the steamer

A corporal of Houssas sat down nonchalantly on a little saddle-seat behind the brass Maxiripped its handles

”Five hundred yards,” said Sanders, and the corporal adjusted the sight without perceptible hurry

The canoes came on at a hurricane speed, for the current ith theun polished a dull place on the brass water-jacket with the blue sleeves of his coat, and looked up

Sanders nodded

The canoes ca the rest in that race where hate nerved effort, and death was the prize

Suddenly-

”Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” laughed the little gun sardonically, and the leading canoe swung round broadside to the stream, because the men who steered it were dead, and half of the oarsmen also

”Ha-ha-ha-h-a-a!”

There was a wild scramble on the second canoe; it swayed, capsized, and the river was full of black heads, and the air resounded with shrill cries