Part 11 (1/2)
”Very well,” he decided ”Send hi as the _Enchantress_ crept forward, and was relieved to find that the water got no shallower It looked as if the pilot were following a channel, for the wash of the sea on hidden shoals began to rise from both sides Except for this and the ines, there was deep silence, but after a while the vessel, which had been rolling gently, grew steady, and Grahaht he could hear the water she threw off splash upon a beach He looked about eagerly, but there was nothing to be seen This creeping past invisible dangers was daunting, but he felt coure at the helm The felloed no hesitation; it was obvious that he knew his business
Through the darkness low trees loomed up ahead, and shortly afterward another clu about them, there was not le at the bows indicated that the _Enchantress_ was stea up the inlet with the tide The lead showed sufficient water, but Graha narrower It was, however, too late to turn back; he ht appeared aines to be stopped Then he pulled the hel inshore
”_La ancla!_” he cried ”Let her go!”
There was a splash and a sharp rattle of chain, and when the _Enchantress_ stopped the beat of paddles cahted and in a few roup of men climbed on board Some were dusky half-breeds, but two or three seemed to be of pure Spanish extraction Grahame took these belohere they carefully examined the cases When they were satisfied they followed hiht theave Grahame a check on an A up the cargo began
Everybody becaed the cases about the shallow hold and fixed the slings Dark-skinnedthe derrick-booo-lamp and vanished, loaded, into the dark The stir lasted for some time, and then, after the cases had all been hoisted over the side, the whitethe shore party shook hands with their hosts
”It is all right,” said the spokeset back”
”I suppose yourto take us out?” Grahame asked, because he had been told that it was too late to leave the creek that tide
”If nothing is happen, he certainly coot on board their canoe, and it slid off into the mist
When the splash of paddles died away, an oppressive silence settled down on the vessel, and the darkness seeo-lamp had been put out After the keen activity a reaction had set in: the men were tired and felt the heat
”It's lonesoustedly ”Like a hothouse in a botanic garden when they've full steaoer thrown in In fact, ye h”
”I don't suppose you found it very fresh in West Africa,” Walthew replied
”I did not That's ripsengines when it takes me bad This is a verra insidious smell”
”The mosquitos are worse,” Grahame said ”I wonder whether there are many of them about? Anyway, I'd like a warp taken out and , and though the flood generally runs harder than the ebb in these places, one can't count on that”
Walthew got into the boat with Miguel and one of the crew, and came back half an hour later, smeared with mire and wet to the waist
”We've made the rope fast, but this creek has no beach,” he said ”The trees grow out of the water, and you slip off their roots into holes filled with slilad I caught a branch In fact, we've had a rather harrowing experience”
”Get your wet clothes off and take soo to sleep,”
Grahame advised; and when Walthew left hiht
Soon afterward the creent below, except for one who kept anchor-watch The ebb tide was running strong, and Grahame was not quite satisfied about the way the vessel was moored It was, however, i sleepy presently, he left his seat on the stern grating and went to his berth
CHAPTER VIII
THE TRAITOR