Part 22 (2/2)

Those fellows live in the neighbourhood of Elmina, and it struck me, when I heard the tale, that they would hardly have dared to act as they have done had there not been some sort of encouragement.”

”I follow the argument. Then you think--?”

”That the Ashantis are somewhere in the neighbourhood. Yes,” responded d.i.c.k. ”Let's talk to Johnnie.”

He sang out for the native stoker, who relinquished his firing shovel, and came trotting along the miniature deck, still clad in his tattered garments, and still with the clay pipe of which he was so fond, gripped between his teeth. But there was a little difference. Johnnie had added dignity. His was a proud mien, and whenever he stopped to speak to a white man or even a black nowadays he always turned his right cheek to the stranger, for there was the scar, livid and red against his dusky skin, an honourable scar which told of fighting, of a battle in which his master had gained a name, and he, Johnnie the stoker, a proportion of the glory.

”Ma.s.sa call,” he said, raising his hand to his battered cap after the custom of the seamen. ”Johnnie here. What yo want?”

”Repeat this tale of Elmina,” said d.i.c.k, quietly. ”Tell this officer what you told me.”

Johnnie greeted the youth beside his master in similar fas.h.i.+on, with an elaborate salute, and treated him to a critical survey.

”Johnnie know little ting or two,” he began, with a knowing smile. ”He 'tend dat he no good, like same as many at de coast. He say, 'hate white men, and wish Ashanti here.' Johnnie know dere heaps of spies at de Castle, and he listen and open um ear. Soon fellow come and ask him if he find out what going to happen. Me say glad, if plenty gold dust.

Den dis fellow he tell Johnnie dat de Ashanti lie in de bush along close to de coast, ready to jump on de white man. Ask me to let um know when time come for de rush. Dat all I know. Johnnie take de dust and perhaps get more later.”

He looked at the two sprawling on the roof of the cabin with a cunning smile, in which they joined. For, after all, though it was not precisely honest, this action of the stoker's, yet all was fair in love and war, and if one of the agents of the enemy came to one of the servants of the white men asking for information and offering money, was it not in the nature of such a man as Johnnie to keep his information to himself, giving t.i.t-bits of news which were of no importance, while he abstracted information as to the enemy's position, and a reward for himself?

”And that is all, Johnnie?” demanded d.i.c.k.

”All same as me tell yo. Noding more.”

”Then you can get back to the engine. Now, Jack,” went on d.i.c.k, ”supposing it were true that the Ashantis were here, within a few miles of Elmina, and imagined themselves hidden from the English. Wouldn't it be an opportunity to take them by surprise and start the campaign favourably? There are not many troops at the Coast, I know, but there are marines and bluejackets aboard, and they should be sufficient.”

”And they could be concentrated here rapidly. Yes; it would be a golden opportunity, and I see your meaning. Then you will put in at Elmina?”

”When it is dark,” said d.i.c.k. ”Then we shall not be seen, perhaps.

That is why I delayed our departure. We are far enough along the coast now, and I propose that we steam out a little and lay to.”

The proposal was carried out at once, for they judged that they were now some two hours' steaming from Elmina, and the day was still young.

Therefore, it was as well to keep as far out as possible. Accordingly, the bows of the launch shot out over the oily sea, which was heaving continuously as it does along this long unbroken African coast, and very soon she lay to, a couple of miles or more from the beach.

”We'll have the lines out and do a little fis.h.i.+ng,” sang out d.i.c.k. ”Any one who likes may sleep, save the man on guard. Johnnie, you'll need to bank the fires, for we shall want steam later.”

A canvas awning had been rigged over the deck of the launch, for the heat would otherwise have been almost unbearable. And beneath this the two young officers and their crew stretched themselves at their ease, while each dropped a line overboard, for they had been careful to bring these in case their provisions should run short.

Some four hours later, just as the day began to draw in, they pulled up their lines and headed for Elmina. It was dark when they arrived off the fort, and they steamed into the river at once, pa.s.sing beneath the bridge erected by the Dutch. Not a sound was heard aboard. The engines were working dead slow, while a screen of sacks surrounded the funnel, hiding any sparks which might have betrayed the presence of the launch.

In the bows stood two of the bluejackets, with long poles in their hands, and presently, as the launch pa.s.sed beyond the town into the river, they stretched these ahead as far as possible, letting the tips trail in the water.

”Take her along dead slow,” whispered d.i.c.k in Johnnie's ear. ”There are plenty of sand and mud banks, and we don't want to get stranded. Ah!

that must be one.”

Without the slightest warning, the launch came sweetly to a stop, burying her nose in a bank of mud which cropped up in the middle of the river. Even the men who held the poles had not been able to detect the obstruction in time, for their rods simply pierced the soft material.

And now, when they attempted to push the launch off, the same thing happened.

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