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Sergeant Overton now let go of the Filipino's shoulder, but only to throw his arm around the fellow's neck. Tomba's head was drawn back, almost chokingly, against the boyish sergeant's shoulder. "Three!" Still no motion among the dark-skinned eight. "Four!" And then: "Five! Tomba, your friends are cheerful about your fate, aren't they? Six!" Vicente Tomba spoke, sharply, hissingly.
"I no like what going forward on board, forward there," and he pointed to the fore-peak. "Dat Ali Tomba one big rascal. He go talky talky to de men, and try to make dem mutinous like hisself." "But what can he have to complain of?" I observed; "the crew seem all well treated." "Dere it is dat make me angry," said Potto.
With two other soldiers Hyman darted into the shop, from which they soon came out with Cerverra, who protested strongly. Meanwhile Vicente Tomba had discovered a cause of discomfort. "Señor Sergente," he complained, "during our struggle in the cellar you knocked my cigarettes from my hand. I beg that you let one of your soldiers take this piece of money into a shop and buy me more cigarettes."
Just how they would go to work to effect the rescue, or how they could locate the particular tribe of little red men who had Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, they did not know. "We may be able to get hold of this Tomba," said Mr. Durban. "If not I guess between Mr. Anderson and myself we can get on the trail, somehow.
To be answered in English, poor and broken as it was, by a native African, was strange enough, but when this same African was found aboard the airship, in the midst of the jungle, at midnight, it almost passed the bounds of possibility. "Tomba!" mused Tom, wondering where he had heard that name before. "Tomba?" "Of course!" cried Mr. Anderson, suddenly. "Don't you remember?
"It can do no harm to mention that name since you can never repeat it to anyone but me, for Señor Draney's decree is that, when you go forth from here to-night you will know nothing afterwards, for you will be past knowing." "You are talking like a madman," sneered Hal. "And next you will be begging like one," returned Tomba, with that same easy but deadly laugh.
While Tomba spoke none answered, but many baleful glances were cast at Sergeant Hal Overton of the Thirty-fourth Infantry. When Tomba had ceased speaking two or three of the rascals spoke, slowly, briefly. "What do the scoundrels say?" demanded the Army boy. "They do not like the situation, señor." "Can you blame them? Or can they help the situation in the new turn that it has taken?"
"Sergeant, have you ever seen this fellow in the photo?" inquired the lieutenant, with a smile, passing the card to Overton. "I should think I have, sir. This is Vicente Tomba." "Can't be a doubt about it, can there?" "Not unless Tomba has a twin brother, sir." "And to think that we had that little rascal in arrest!" muttered the lieutenant.
Nor did Ray keep his brother officers waiting more than a moment. Then his brisk step was heard on the shell road outside, followed by his sudden entrance into the office. But behind him came two soldiers of the guard, dragging between them an insignificant-looking little Filipino who seemed thoroughly terror stricken. "How's Tomba this morning, Ray?" inquired Captain Cortland, wheeling about.
Sergeant Overton and Sergeant Terry have recognized him as one whom they saw with you in Manila." "Bah! That amounts to little. Señor Draney can deny." "But they have recognized you also, my Tomba, and so has Corporal Hyman. More, they have told Captain Cortland all they know, and all they can guess." "The dogs!" growled Vicente Tomba, his snarl showing his fine, white teeth.
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