while jack hastened away toward the tent shared by the two others, bob and frank made their way toward where a blazing camp fire marked the encampment of the seventy-five bearers.
few of the latter could be seen, not more than a dozen. could the others have decamped? had they, perhaps, departed with mabele? the boys hurried forward, alarm knocking within. but when one of the dozen blacks outstretched near the fire got to his feet on being addressed in the bush english of which all had a smattering, he informed bob that his comrades had gone to the village to participate in the celebration.
as that was to be expected, bob’s anxieties in a measure subsided. but when he asked whether mabele had accompanied the party the man shook his head in denial.
“mabele him not go ’long,” he said. “no see mabele long time.”
quick inspection of the recumbent figures showed mabele not of the number, and convinced nothing as to his whereabouts was to be learned of their informant the boys turned away. as they passed near the boxes and bales of supplies and of equipment of one sort or another, over which tarpaulins were lashed to protect them from storms, frank was seized with an idea.
halting, he laid a hand on bob’s arm.
“have we ever used the spare radio transmitting apparatus on this trip out from kisumu?” he demanded.
bob scratched his head.
“i don’t know. seems to me the last time we had occasion to use it was when our runaway raft grounded on that island in the river. and that was before we reached kisumu.”
“that’s my recollection, too,” said frank, in a tone of satisfaction. “come on, let’s find mr. hampton and the others.”
he started forward again, and as bob fell into pace beside him, making for their tent before which they could observe a bobbing lantern in the grip of an unseen hand, bob demanded:
“what made you ask that about the spare radio?”
“oh, i just thought that if we hadn’t ever unpacked it, mabele wouldn’t know it was there.”
“right,” said bob, comprehension dawning. “in that case, we won’t be hamstrung.”
they were close enough now to see the lantern was borne by jack and that mr. hampton and niellsen accompanied him.
“did you find him?” asked jack as they approached.
“no,” answered frank, “nor did we find many of the bearers. most of them have gone to the village to take part in the celebration.”
mr. hampton groaned. “i had expressly forbidden mabele to let the men depart,” he said. “the rascal violated my orders in order to have a clear field for his operations.”
passing inside the tent, mr. hampton and niellsen took their turn at staring at the spot where the radio apparatus had stood, as if by the mere fact of their glances they could conjure it back into place.
“then you, too, believe it was mabele, mr. hampton?” asked bob.
the older man nodded.
“i hardly knew what i suspected when he appeared at the tent today and it seemed likely he had overheard what was being said. but this has clarified my suspicions. he’s a shrewd one, a man as i said of superior parts. i am of the opinion now that he’s in the pay of the trouble-makers in this part of the world, be they german or what. doubtless he thought that by taking the radio apparatus he could cut us oft from communication with ransome.”
“and at the same time, perhaps, communicate with his confederates,” suggested frank.
“it’s a serious loss, all right enough,” said mr. hampton. “and, furthermore, by allowing the bearers to attend the village celebration he increases his opportunity for escape. the villagers will be pretty loggy in the morning, and in no condition to help us pick up mabele’s trail. and now the bearers will be the same. he will be able to get a good start.”
sinking into a camp chair, he stared contemplatively at the ground, and the others respected his silence.
“moreover,” he resumed, “we have no means now of notifying ransome that mabele stands betrayed in his true light. the rascal can get to entebbe ahead of us in the assurance that we have no way of informing on him. and he may be able to cause no end of trouble.”
frank stepped forward eagerly.
“but, mr. hampton, we have the spare radio packed away. we haven’t used it for so long a time that it’s no wonder you have forgotten about it. but that’s probably our salvation. for we haven’t used it at any time during mabele’s connection with our party, and so it’s unlikely that he knew we had it.”
“good for you, frank,” said mr. hampton, jumping up, the lines of worry disappearing as if by magic. “let’s have a look. bring that lantern. jack, and we’ll investigate.”
forebearing to summon any of the bearers to aid them, the boys themselves overhauled the heap of supply cases and from the midst pulled the familiar case enclosing the spare transmitting set. many were their expressions of satisfaction.
carrying it back to the tent, they opened it up. all the parts were complete. and in another and smaller case was packed the aerial. assembling and setting up would be a short enough matter, but mr. hampton suggested that they wait until the morning. for one thing, he felt certain they would be unable to receive any response from entebbe at this hour.
“and, besides,” he pointed out, “there is little likelihood now that we shall be able to start tomorrow. none of the bearers who went to the village has returned as yet, and they will be feeling so badly in the morning, after heavy potations of that native beer, that it would be impossible to get any work out of them. perhaps, by noon, we can make a start. but even that is problematical. at any rate, you fellows will have plenty of time in which to set up your radio and open communication with entebbe.”
upon this understanding, mr. hampton and niellsen were once more about to retire for the night to their own tent, when jack becoming seized with a new idea again halted them.
he wanted to know whether his father did not consider it would be wise to place a guard over their supplies. so friendly was chief ungaba that they had felt an unwonted sense of security from thefts during the weeks spent under his protection. for dire, indeed, had been the punishment he had desired to visit upon the one and only thief caught during their stay. in fact, he had wanted to put the poor fellow to death, and he would have done it, too, had it not been for mr. hampton’s representations.
“you see tonight, dad,” explained jack, “all the villagers will be stupid with liquor, and the bearers, too. it just occurred to me that, perhaps, mabele has a number of malcontents amongst the bearers who will follow him. if that’s the case, they can make a rich haul and escape easily enough, if they wait until we retire and then raid the supplies while the rest of the camp is incapacitated by too much party.”
“you are right, jack,” answered his father, “and i should have thought of that myself. however, it’s not too late. let’s see. there are five of us. if we all go over to the supplies and sleep tonight around a campfire, taking turn and turn about at standing watch, that would be the best way except for one thing. it would leave our tents unguarded again. no, that won’t do. what can anybody suggest?”
“oh, i guess one man would be enough to stand guard,” said bob. “they’d hardly try any tricks, if they found we were on our toes about the matter.”
“a good thing we took our rifles with us,” said frank. “if they had been stolen, then we would have been out of luck. why, they could just pot us one after the other.”
“on second thought,” said mr. hampton, “i don’t believe it will be necessary to guard the supplies ourselves. if mabele had any of the men with him, they’d have stolen our things during our absence, just as he took the radio. the fact that nothing but the radio was stolen indicates to me that he was operating alone. no, we’ll chance his stealing from us. he couldn’t get much, anyway. but i will put several of those older men who stayed in camp and refused to disobey orders on guard. they’re steady fellows, and will afford sufficient protection. isn’t there one of them. bob, who you told me understands a revolver?”
“yes, that fellow samba. he used to be a british colonial soldier.”
“the one we were talking to tonight?” asked frank.
“the same,” said bob. “by the way, mr. hampton, he’d be a good man to make ‘straw boss’ now that mabele has left.”
“right you are,” said mr. hampton. “suppose you step over and call him.”
bob readily complied, frank again accompanying him. they found samba and his mates sunk in slumber. nor had the bearers who had gone to the village yet returned. samba was awakened, and followed them back to the tent.
mr. hampton told him that mabele was a thief and had run away after first disobeying orders by letting all the bearers who wanted to do so go to the village celebration. then he promised to elevate samba to mabele’s post. after that he armed him with a revolver, laying strict injunctions on him that he was not to use it except in case of attack, and sent him to guard the supplies the balance of the night.
the stalwart black’s eyes gleamed as, after first handling the weapon in a manner which showed he was accustomed to it, he thrust it into his waist band holding up a long pair of cotton trousers.
“me un’erstan’, sar,” he said. and giving a smart military salute, he clicked his bare heels, or rather brought them together with a thud. then he spun about and went out.
“a good man,” said mr. hampton. “how’d you learn about him, bob?”
the big fellow grinned.
“oh, you know how,” he said. “i can’t explain it. but i expect i have a faculty for making friends.”
such a faculty, indeed, bob had. and it is an invaluable one. he was sometimes described by frank fondly as “the original democrat.”
“that boy,” frank would say on such occasions, “makes friends with every tom, dick and harry he meets. he never draws any social or color lines. just interested in people from the human side, i suppose.”
mr. hampton smiled and shook his head slightly. then yawning mightily, he arose.
“well, niellsen, we may as well retire. tomorrow will be a big day.”
