Part 41 (2/2)
He resumed business with his account book, and I whispered to Fred and Will what advice he had given Seeing us with our heads together, Schubert crossed the rooing had had time to reinforce the alcohol (The blows had sobered him at first)
”What have you decided?” he asked, standing before us with his legs apart and his hands behind hiently back and forward because of the drink, and showing all his teeth in a grin
”Nothing,” Fred answered ”We'll think it over”
”Too late in thefor you in the ht?” Fred asked
He shrugged his shoulders ”I can report The report will go in at dawn”
”You , ”that if they care to make us a reasonable offer, I don't say on't do business!”
Schubert leered
”To-morroill be too late!” he repeated
It was Fred's turn to shrug shoulders, and he did it ini Will supportwhile I held to the doorpost and they dragged Brown to his feet He made no offer to help us in any way at all, nor did any of the sergeants
There was no getting action from Brown He was as dead to the world as a piece of wood, and there being no other obvious solution of the proble, all the way home to camp Fred hoisted and carried me, for the pain of my wound when I tried to as unbearable
We reached careat show of standing guard They took Brown and threw him on the bed in his own tent--accepted Fred's offer of silverup-street in their heavy, iron-bound er only the Nubian in all the world knows just how to get aith
I lay on the bed in Fred's tent, and then Kazi the e the lantern so that its rays would betray any eavesdropper He searched all the shadows thoroughly, prodding into them with a stick, before he unburdened his uard our tents,” he told us (The really good native servant when speaking of his master's property always says our, and never your) ”As soon as you were gone the Greeks and the Goa came They and the askaris questioned me It was a trick!
You were draay on purpose! One by one--two by two--they questioned us all, but particularly me”
”What about?” Fred demanded
”About our business Why are we here What e do What do we know What do I know about you What do you know about me Why do I serve you How did I come to take service with you To what place e travel next, and when How much money have ith us Have we friends or acquaintances in Muanza Do you, bwana, carry any letters in your pockets Of what do you speak when you suppose noBwana, my heart is very sad in me! Those Greeks tell lies, and the Ger pot like the witches! I know the Germans! I am Nyamwezi I was born not far froh because the Germans shot my father and let my mother and brothers starve to death I did not starve, because one of them took me for a servant; but I ran away from him
My heart is very sad to be in this place! They ask what of a hoard of ivory I tell them I do not know, and they threaten to beat ht!”
There was no sleep that night for any of us My wound hurt too ht of the lantern in Fred's tent we cooked up a story to tell that we hoped would induce the Germans to let us wander where we chose
”Sure, they'll watch us!” Will ad down here--leaving Brown's cattle out of the reckoning--was to throw people off the scent, in ay are orse off? The lake is big enough to lose ourselves in! What is it--two hundred and fifty ive their sleuths the slip? We can't beat that for a plan: let 'e we knohere Tippoo hid the stuff If we succeed in losing 'ee in Ger for us--whereas we'll really be up in British East Let's send a telegraht of an idea that in the end solved our biggest probleh we did not think ram in code,” he said ”It's likely they'll open letters (We can try the code, of course They'll probably take our e They'll say it was lost if there are any inquiries afterward) I propose we send a straight-out cablegrao through) and warning him to ask for letters at the Bank in Mo else”
”Yes, but--” Will objected
”Wait!” said Fred ”I haven't finished Then write two letters: one full of any old nonsense, to be sent in the regular way by mail