Part 29 (1/2)

”They are altogether too severe,” he answered ”I hope you have killed nothing It is good you came first to me You would better stand that rifle over here in the corner of my tent To walk back to the hotel with it over your shoulder would be dangerous”

”I've taken bigger chances than that,” said I

”If you have shot nothing, then it is not so serious,” he said, disappearing behind a curtain into the recesses of his tent

He stayed in there for about ten minutes I had about made up my mind to walk ahen four of his boys approached the tent from behind, and one of theiven directions acrossthem

They threw the buck down near loomy interior and stared at it He asked theue, and they answered, pointing at reat beard alternately with either hand

”Then they lie!” I answered

”Letout an enora in the world to extract a cartridge froazine and claim afterward that I had fired it away Evidently he proposed to get h for just what reason he was so determined to make use of me rather than any one else was not so clear

”So I shot the buck, did I?” I asked

”Those four natives say they saw you shoot it”

”Then it's mine?”

He nodded

”It's heavy,” I said, ”but I expect I can carry it”

I took the buck by the hind legs and swung hed more than a hundred pounds, but the African clith or destroy sheer pleasure in hed ”You gave ood riddance!”

The boys tried to prevent rowled the professor ”I will take responsibility for that buck and save you fro it back! Lay it down!”

But I continued to walk away, so he ordered his boys to take the carcass from me I laid it down and threatened theht his own rifle out and threatened hed at him, bade him shoot if he dared, offered hi the buck again and walking off

Meat was cheap in Nairobi in those days, so the owner of the hotel was not so delighted as I expected He repri late for breakfast, and told et any Fred and Will had waited for me, and while we ate alone and I told the's adventure a police officer in khaki uniform tied up his ing outside the kitchen?” he demanded

”There's so the owner”

”Then you're the man I want The court sits at nine You'd better be there, or you'll be fetched!”

He placed in my hand what proved to be a su on the charge of carrying an unregistered rifle and shooting game without a license Two native policemen he had with him took down the buck from the hook outside the kitchen door and carried it off as evidence

We finished our breakfast in great contentment, and strode off ar to a play--perhaps a nant, as if the subject of the play were one we did not quite approve, but perfectly certain of a good time