Part 58 (2/2)
Fred grinned
”I will tell you where the ivory is!”
Fred threw his head back and laughed outright
”I speak to you on my honor! That mother of schen Before I would agree to set the town on fire I e, lest she should prove treacherous and leave me behind after all! I have it now! It is schen believes the stuff must be, because he has searched everywhere else!”
”If that ,” Fred countered, ”how did Lady Saffren Waldon care to leave you behind with it?”
”The harridan forgot it!” answered Coutlass ”She was so delighted to get vengeance on Rebecca by taking her away fro else! She hates you! She hates me! She hates Rebecca! Those who hate--as I can hate!--would rather have revenge than all the riches of Africa! Do you think I would hesitate between ht,” Fred answered ”The map, then--what about it?”
”Take me with you and the map is yours!”
”Show it to me, then!”
”I must have a share of the ivory!”
”Show me the map first!”
Coutlass searched inside his flannel shi+rt--swiftly--rily His jaw dropped Even between the fire-light and the ed again
”Show ain!” Fred insisted ”Hurry, man!
There's Mr Yerkes with the canoe We can't wait here all night!”
”It is gone!” admitted Coutlass ”Some one stole it!”
”I could have told you that in the first place,” Fred infor to his feet ”I have the asped
”Certainly not Rebecca stole it while she was supposed to be sleeping in your arht have known it! Those Syrians--she ive us all the slip and find the ivory herself!”
”Nothing of the Sort!” said Fred ”She stole it froive it to Lady Saffren Waldon! Kazimoto saw her do it--sahere Lady Waldon hid it--and stole it fro it to be so of mine Here it is!”
Fred let the end of a folded h for Coutlass to recognize it by the fire-light The Greek turned on his heel
”All right!” he said ruefully, swinging suddenly round again ”If you were alone I would fight you, ht all four of you! Go away then, and be da I can do Leavelike a o to hell, all of you!” laughed the Greek
Fred seeht idea He turned to the woman and beckoned her to rise Then in un her to Coutlass The wo that was positively not consent--stared with frightened eyes at Coutlass--shook her shaven head violently--and ran away into the darkness, pursued by roars of laughter that speeded her on her way
”A clear case of desertion!” announced Fred judicially ”You men are witnesses!” Then he turned once more to Coutlass ”I don't think we'll leave you to raise Cain on this island It depends on you whether we find you a lonelier island--turn you loose or hand you over to the authorities in British East!”
”Good!” Coutlass shouted ”By Jingo, you are a gentleman! You are the best man in the world! I will treat you as my brother!”