Part 10 (1/2)
”That'll take a couple of days anyway,” said Mr Wallace that night as they sat around the fire ”I think we ht as well establish a caaet hold of all the speciet them safely off Then we can strike on after ivory and see e'll find”
”Suits me,” returned Captain Mac ”Ye've done vera well, lads! The horn o' yon beast is eighteen inches”
”I'd kind o' like to keep the head, uncle,” said Burt ”Critch an' I had a hard tiettin' him We don't want the skin but we could set up the head back home an'--”
”Sure!” returned Mr Wallace heartily ”We'll keep the skin without paring it down, then We can trade it to the natives for ales near here, Captain?”
Montenay called up the head Bantu and put soe several ht be found, and the Bantu was ordered to send aback whatever ivory the natives ht have to trade
The next day Critch and Burt superintended the preparation of the rhino head and the skins of a number of various antelope varieties which Mr
Wallace and the captain shot On the day following the Bantu er returned with a score of blacks who bore two sladly traded for the rhino skin, which they would use for shi+elds, and for so red
On that same day Burt evened up trophies with his chuether when the trading had been finished Barely had they left when a Bantu ran in with the news that there was a herd of buffalo near the stream which ran a few hundred yards past the caun-bearers and on they ith all haste
After half an hour's walking they located the buffalo at the edge of the creek bed in a thick jungle swauns in readiness the explorer and Burt advanced slowly They could see two or three bulls watching the hidden Not until the hunters ithin a hundred yards did the buffaloes ainst the black bodies, and their wicked little eyes were fixed sullenly on the an advancing At this the gun-bearers scattered despite Montenay's shouted threats, and sought the shelter of ant hills Captain Mac and Burt held their heavy guns and the forood luck the boy's bullet struck the buffalo in the eye and penetrated the brain Before Montenay could lift his weapon the others had turned and vanished
”Well,” laughed the explorer, ”that's better than I expected I was lookin' for a charge from 'em Fine old bull too!”
The buffalo was a splendid trophy and theMr Wallace determined to finish the buffalo hide and then send back the specih to stock the club for years,” he laughed ”No use being a hog--hello, that's funny!”
”What's the matter?” asked Montenay froone!” Mr Wallace arose, searching his pockets Then his face hardened ”John, call up those boys ith ! My compass has disappeared”
CHAPTER VIII
CAPTAIN MAC SUSPECTED
Montenay and the boys gave an exclamation of surprise and Captain Mac leaped to his feet with excited questions Mr Wallace, however, replied nothing Burt had never seen his uncle really angry before and now he realized why thisface was more hawk-like than ever Between the down-drawn broere too deep furrows, the thineyes were aflaer Even Montenay quieted down suddenly when he saw Mr
Wallace's face
John very respectfully brought up a group of a dozen blacks who stood in fear and tre as the loss of the co on their faces one and all denied any share in the theft
”John, call the headhtened as his men, Mr Wallace turned to him ”You see these ather more than a few scattered words of French, but what he heardup with a cry of protest
”Sit down!” His uncle whirled on hiely and Montenay nodded approval The headainst Mr Wallace's boots while a howl of fear went up from the black boys, who returned to their companions, accompanied by John with a rifle
”What'd he say?” whispered Critch anxiously Mr Wallace heard the words
”I gave 'em ten minutes to produce that compass,” he said quietly ”If they didn't do it by then I told 'em I'd bury those boys up to their necks in the swamp down yonder and leave 'em”