Part 61 (2/2)
”Stuff!” said Wallace
”Well,” replied Leonard, ”beggars must put their pride in their pockets
If you will lend e, I shall be evena good deal”
On this business basis the h within half an hour Wallace handed back the great stone into Juanna's keeping, bidding her ”keep it dark”; an injunction which she obeyed in every sense of the word, for she hid the ruby where once the poison had lain--in her hair
Two busy days went by, and on the thirdfroht Then it was that Otter, who all this while had said nothing, advanced sole his hand outstretched
”What is theWallace to pack his hunting trophies
”Nothing, Baas; I have coood-bye to you and the Shepherdess, that is all I wish to go now before I see the Steam-fish carry you away”
”Go!” said Leonard; ”you wish to go?”
Somehow Otter had become so much a part of their lives, that, even in their preparations to leave for England, neither of the froo?” he added
”Because I a, Baas, and can be of no further use to you out yonder,” and he nodded towards the sea
”I suppose you mean that you do not want to leave Africa, even for a while,” said Leonard, with ill-concealed grief and vexation ”Well, it is hard to part with you like this Also,” he added with a little laugh, ”it is aard, for I owe you es, and have not the e on the shi+p”
”What does the Baas say?” asked Otter slowly; ”that he has bought me a place in the Stea your pardon, Baas I thought that you had done withto throw me away like a worn-out spear”
”So you wish to come, Otter?” said Leonard
”Wish to coly ”Are you not my father and my mother, and is not the place where youto do just now, Baas? I was going to climb to the top of a tree and watch the Steae of the world; then I would have taken this rope, which already has servedthe People of the Mist, and set it about ed s, Baas”
Leonard turned away to hide the tears which started to his eyes, for the dwarf's fidelity touched hi his trouble, Juanna took up the talk to cover his confusion
”I fear that you will find it cold over yonder, Otter,” she said ”It is a land of fog, they tell me, and there are none of your own people, no wives or Kaffir beer Also, weI have seen so lately, Shepherdess,” answered the dwarf; ”and yet I was happy in the fog, because I was near the Baas Of hard living I have seen so also, and still I was happy, because I was near the Baas Once I had a wife and beer in plenty, more than a ed me from the Baas, and he knew that I had ceased to be Otter, his servant whom he trusted, and had become a beast Therefore, Shepherdess, I would see no more of wives and beer”
”Otter, you idiot,” broke in Leonard brusquely, ”you had better stop talking and get so to eat, for it will be the last meal that you ish to see for ht,” replied the dwarf; ”ry, for sorrow has kept me from food for these two days Noill fillto offer to the Black Water when he shakes er”
ENVOI
THE END OF THE ADVENTURE
Six weeks or so had passed when a four-wheeled cab drew up at the door of 2 Albert Court, London, EC
The progress of this vehicle had excited sohter-minded denizens of the City, for on its box, arrayed in an ill-fitting suit of dittoes and a brown hat soe object, whose coal-black countenance, dwarfed frame, and enormous nose and shoulders attracted their ribald observance