Part 54 (2/2)

”We can't leave that wo hiainst the wind

”Can't we!” shouted Lady Waldon ”Give me that rifle, and I'll solve the problem for you!”

But Coutlass solved it in another way by ju our hempen ith hi to be able to find it in the dark)

There was quite a sea running, even as close inshore as that, and for a moment I doubted whether the Greek would make it By that tiure, still gesticulating, and screahtened, and then by the strain on it I knew that Coutlass was trying to haul us back inshore Failing to do that, for the strength of the as increasing, he seized the Syrian woed into the water with her I saw them disappear and hauled on the warp hand-over-hand with allover to strike at my hands until I shouted to Fred to coain for the rifle, pro to kill the two of them and reduce our problem to that extent if ould only let her

Will and I hauled the dripping pair on board, and Coutlass carried the ht or fro which Then in pitch blackness with Will's help I got the shi+p beaer was only just beginning! I was the only one of the I was too weak to get the sail up single-handed, had no co whatever of the rocks and shoals, except by rumor that there were plenty of both

There appeared to be no way of reefing the lateen sail, which was made of no better material than calico, and I was entirely unfa

Behind us, as we payed before the gaining wind, was brilliant blaze that shohere Muanza was Against the blaze stood out the lakeward boma wall I stood due east away fro on the halyard so as to lower the long spar I could obtain so

I set Fred and Will toa sea-anchor of buckets and spars in case the sail or rotten rigging should carry away, leaving us at the mercy of the short steep waves that fresh-water lakes and the North Sea only know The big curved spar, now that it was hanging low, bucked and swung and the dhow steered like an o ballast and could trirow seasick, but I gave the them shi+ft backward and forward and from side to side until I found which way the dhow rode easiest

When Fred had finished the sea-anchor he got out the tools and began striking off the iron rings on the porters' necks through which the chain passed The job took hiood serviceable chain, and a crew that could be drilled to take the brute hard labor off our shoulders

Coutlasshellenic inflammatory love to Lady Waldon's maid, who in his ar not to be aware of the existence of either of them The other Greek and the Goanese had been driven belohere they started to slow of their pipes and shouted to Will to stop that foolishness He snatched both pipes and threw the seen froh for ht, but sat sulking below the sloping roof of reeds and tarpaulin that did duty for a deck, wedged alongside of seasick Wanyamwezi

It was Kazi, beat the There was a trough running thise of the shi+p into which the water had to be lifted fro in relays, until nearly dawn to get the water out of her; and to keep her botto constantly

I knew vaguely that the great island of Ukerewe lay to the northard of us Between that and the e that narrowed in more than one place to less than a hundred yards That would have been the obvious course to take had we not been afraid of pursuit, had we dared get away by daylight, and provided I had known the way As it was I intended to add another hundred miles to the distance between us and the northern shore of the lake, by sailing well clear of and around Ukerewe, trusting to the less frequented water and the wilder islands to ed it likely that the moment ere missed, the launch would be sent off in search of us, and that the Gere first They would expect us to take the narrow passage, as the shortest, and depend on their ability to steaet a long start on the outside course

With gaining wind, a following sea, a little shi+p crowded to suffocation, and a sail thatbefore I began to pray for the lee of Ukerewe, and to stand in closer tohere I judged the end of the island ought to be than perhaps I should have done It was lucky, though, that I did

Incalculations I had overlooked the obvious fact that, stea three miles to our one, the launch could very well afford to take the outside course to start with Then they could take a good look for us in the open water nextto find us, steae, and catch us between two banks

It was Lady Saffren Waldon onthe dark waste of water with eyes as restless as the waves theht?” she asked low on the water to our left, nottown,” I answered, but I had no sooner said it than I knew the ansas foolish It was the glow that rides above hot steaht

”Fred!” I shouted, for fear took hold of the very roots of my heart, ”for the love of God hts!

Don't speak above a whisper! Keep all heads below the gunwale! That cursed Gerer I could hear surf pounding on rocks to starboard I did not dare to come up into the wind because nobody but I kne the spar would have to be passed around the ht attract attention

”Look out for breakers ahead!” I ordered ”I' to hold this course and hope they pass us in the dark!”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

”DAVID PREVAILED”

(I Sam 17:50)