Part 69 (1/2)
But Brown, cah he as not of our inner-guard He ht inner feelings to the surface
”Take the shot-gun if you care to,” Fred told him, as he passed Will the rifle ”I'll unlock the chop-box presently, and let you have some whisky!”
This last was the cruellest cut, but it did Brown good When Fred kept his promise and produced a whole bottle from the locked-up store Brown refused to touch it, instead insulting hi hiood-naturedly assured hi through the gaps between the caive the alare, swore they saw Schillingschen, rifle in hand, stalking a could convince them they had not seen hi beard was matted, and his shi+rt torn--that he strode out of darkness into darkness like a hed at their story, to see if we could shake thehed at our incredulity
”My eyes are good eyes” answered Kazimoto ”What I see I see! Why should I invent lies?”
It was not pleasant to ione or not, with or without three cartridges and a rifle, prowling about our ca opportunity to do murder
”Come to think of it,” said Fred, ”we've no proof he hasn't a lot ht have cached some in reserve near where we found his cas have happened But the bally o to sleep some time
He seems to have been awake ever since he escaped We'll be off at dawn, and either tire hiot one or more of those donkeys,” I answered ”He'll not be so easy to tire”
”Suppose you and Will go and sleep,” suggested Fred ”Othere'll all go crazy, and all get left behind!”
There did not re used to the tents and their loads now, got away to a good start, heading straight toward the frowning pile of Elgon that hove its great huainst a blue sky and domineered over the world to the northward
There were plenty of villages, well filled with ti naked wives Now that we had trade goods in plenty there was no difficulty at all aboutfears: that it ht not rain in proper season, and ”the people” as they called theer”; and that the ht come and take their babies
”Which h up on that on, shuddered, and looked away
”Why should they take your babies?”
”They eat them!”
”What makes you think that?”
”We know it! They coht with us, and take away, and kill and eat our fat babies!”
All the inhabitants of all the villages agreed None of thereed that very bad blackfrom the upper slopes at uncertain intervals There was no variation of the tale
One thing puzzled usway off behind us to our right--two shots, followed by the unschen decided to desert us? And if so, how did he dare squander two of his three cartridges at once--supposing he were not now mad, as our boys, and his, all vowed he was? His own tento be protected froanda recolish that we seek the services of the first witch doctor we could find
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE SONG OF THE ELEPHANTS
Who is as heavy as we, or as strong?
Ho! but we trample the sha And tall trees flat like a harvest e, is it easy to find, and wide!) Ripping the branch and bough to waste Like rocks shot loose froether, sta steadily In time)