Part 12 (2/2)
We reached the shi+p, and atching our piles of luggage arrive up the accommodation ladder when the solution of Lady Isobel Saffren Waldon's probleside in the official boat of the German consulate, a German officer in white uniforn at the stern
”Pretty fair i official honors to our undesirables, yet I don't see e can do,” said the senior from the Residency
Yerkes drewmore stupidly British?” he demanded
”It's as obvious as the nose on your face that she's up to soame
It's as plain as twice two that the Ger her whether the British like it or not Look at those two Heinies now!”
We faced about and watched the Lady Waldon to her cabin, they approached our party with brazen clainition--and received it They were met, and spoken to apparently as cordially as if their friendshi+p had been indisputable
”Did you ever see anything to beat it? Why not kick 'em into the sea?
Either that woman's a crook or she isn't If she isn't, then the British have treated her sha their backs on her But we know she is a crook! And so do they The Ger her under official British noses! They're using her to start so the British won't like, and the British know it!
Yet she's going to be allowed to travel to British territory on a British shi+p, and the Heinies are shaken hands with! If you coht unless you ht!'” said I
”Oh, rot!” Will answered ”British individuals overnment'll shut its eyes until too late, whatever happens!
You reat discontent, I asthere was another country in the world that could so deliberately shut its eyes to dog's work until absolutely forced to interfere, by a hair not quite too late
Coutlass and Hassan traveled second-class--the Arab and half-Arab contingent third--and none of theht of Coutlass swaggering as if the shi+p and her contents were all his
”To hear hiovernrumbled
But an immediate problem drove Coutlass out of iven a cabin in line with ours, at the end of our corridor Her ed to pass our doors to get to her cabin at all As nearly all shi+ps' cabins on those hot routes do, ours interco purposes, and a word spoken in one cabin above a whisper could be heard in the next
Fred was the first to realize conditions He opened his door in his usual abrupt way to visit Monty's cabin and almost fell over the Syrian ament, as Fred was at pains to assure her
The alariven, we locked our cabin doors, repaired to the s-room, and ordered drinks at a center table where no eavesdropper could overhear
”It's one of two things,” said Monty He had his folding board out, and we did not doubt he would play chess from there to London ”Either they know exactly where that ivory is, or they haven't the slightest idea”
”My, but you're wise!” said Will
Monty ignored hietting any of it If they do know, they've so it themselves at present If they don't know, they suspect we know and intend to claim e find”
”How should they think we know?” objected Will ”The first we ever heard of the stuff was in the lazaretto in Zanzibar”
”True Juma told us Juma probably told them that we told him
Natives often put the cart before the horse without the slightest intention of lying”
”All the same, why should they believe hi with the story--after all these years The ivory o So the mud We arrive, unexpectedly from nowhere, ask questions about the ivory, make plans for British East Africa--and there you are! The people ere et the stuff jump to the false conclusion that we really knohere it is”