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"Me tink MacGreg him come," replied Tan Barl after a brief survey. "No; me no tink me know." Wilmshurst waited inactive. Until the approaching hostile column had descended from the high ground and the men were deep in the bush, attempt on the part of the Haussas to advance from the ridge would result in the latter's detection.
Halting his men, Wilmshurst made a careful survey of the ground by means of his binoculars. A number of large birds aasvogels, or African vultures were circling over the derelict. It was therefore safe to conclude that no human being, unless helpless to lift a hand, was in the vicinity. In the midst of his investigations Tari Barl approached with a self-satisfied smile on his ebony features.
Half a dozen times he pulled himself together, only to realise that the overpowering desire for sleep had him firmly in its grip. Suddenly the stillness was broken by the cautious challenge of one of the sentries. Tari Barl and his companion were returning. "Well?" exclaimed Wilmshurst interrogatively, as the stalwart blacks stood stiffly to attention.
Just as we got the barl up, along comes Jasper Rutledge, the sheriff, and he says, "Hey, what you boys doin'?" "We want to talk to Doc Lyon," says I. "What about?" says he. "About my dog," says Mitch. The sheriff looked at us curious for a minute and says, "If I let you talk to him, will you promise not to tease him or get him mad?" "Yes, Mr. Rutledge," both of us said.
You have half an hour to make preparations," resumed the C.O. "Take a batman with you a man who can ride well. You will rejoin your battalion at Kossa in three days' time, circumstances permitting." Wilmshurst saluted and withdrew to make his brief preparations. Having given Tari Barl instructions to pack his kit the subaltern sent for Sergeant Bela Moshi.
"And fwhot hev you done with the last I sent ye, ye divil of a McCorkle, and here's me back that's bruk entoirely wid dipping intil the pork barl to giv ye the best sides, and ye spending yur last cint on a tare into Gilroy. Whist! and if it's fer foighting ye are, boys, there's an illigant bit of sod beyant the corral, and it may be meself'll come out with a shtick and be sociable."
Like well-trained dogs the two native soldiers obeyed, and with their rifles still slung they hastened towards the position occupied by the alert Haussas, passing between two clumps of cacti behind which were hiding Tari Barl, No Go, Double-headed Penny and two more of No. 1 Section. The Haussas let them pass.
And here was Tari Barl "Tarry Barrel," his master invariably dubbed him smiling all over his ebony features as he stood, clad in active service kit and holding a cup of fragrant tea. Tari Barl was a typical specimen of the West African native from whom the ranks of the Coast regiments are recruited. In height about five feet ten, he was well built from his thighs upwards.
It was kind of heavy too had somethin' in it had treasure in it, as you'll see. And after a few days this here clerk took the barl and turned it upside down and there was treasure." "How much?" said Mitch. "Gee, but that was wonderful." "Well," said the old feller, "you can believe it or not, it was treasure too much to count.
"It was this a way," he began. "There was a man here who was clerkin' in one of the stores; and one day a feller drove up and said 'hallow' and this clerk came out of the store and says, 'What is it? The traveler says, 'Here's a barl I have no use for and don't want to carry on my wagon any furder, and I'll sell it to you. And the clerk says, 'I ain't got no use for the barl. 'Well, says the traveler, 'you can have it for fifty cents, and it will accommodate me; and besides I don't want to just throw it away. So the clerk says all right, and gave him fifty cents and took the barl in the store and put it in the corner.
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