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Updated: June 1, 2025
"You go," said Compton, "or I will call your masters, and let them deal with you." Growling under his breath, the self-styled "guard" slunk soft-footed out of the room. Compton struck a match and looked around the apartment, then turned to Venning with a grin. "That is the game," he whispered. "I think I understand," Venning replied softly. "That fellow was testing you?" Compton nodded.
And with the darkness came a sense of mystery, a hollow murmur as of the surf heard a long way off, which intensified the brooding stillness; and at times the groaning of the trees. "What noise is that?" asked Venning, hearing the sound. "The trees talk," said Muata, gravely. "Eh? The trees talk!
The two dashed off, each on his own line, and for several minutes the stricken animal led them through fairly open country, with every promise of a speedy run, for it was evidently hard hit. Then, taking advantage of an old watercourse, it turned to the right, and when Compton recovered the track he had lost touch with Venning.
It raised its torn head, and again the scream rang out from its red jaws a terrible cry, and out of the forest came the answer, shrill and fearsome. With a low growl the leopard fell forward, dead; but they could hear an animal advancing rapidly, with fierce grunts; though from what direction it was impossible to tell. "It must be the mate," said Compton, with an anxious look at Venning.
"A black eagle," said Venning. "Maybe it has its nest somewhere about here." "As this is the Place of Rest," said Mr. Hume, "it would do us all good to sit down. Where is the hut you spoke of, mother?" "Shall I carry you, little one?" said the woman, with a loud laugh. "A few steps only. A little way, and you can eat and sleep."
Arthur Venning suggested that what she must do was to rig up something in the nature of a surprise a portrait, for example, of a nice old lady in a lace cap, concealing a bath of cold water, which at a signal could be sprung on Pepper's head; or they'd have a chair which shot him twenty feet high directly he sat on it. Susan laughed.
Compton was allowed a day off, and slept the sleep of the tired; but the others were all occupied one keeping watch, another steering, and the third cleaning up. The jackal, like Compton, was unemployed, and curled itself up by his feet, opening one eye occasionally to see that all was shipshape. Through the morning they went, and into the afternoon; then Venning, who was outlook-man, gave tongue
"By Jenkins!" gasped Venning. "It beats all," laughed Compton. "Well done, Muata." As the capsized crew struggled to the shore they yelled abuse and threats, but their power for mischief had gone with the loss of their weapons. Some of them went off down the bank shouting for the canoes that had gone on, and others made their way to the fire; but Mr.
Venning searched for the field-glasses, and as the island they had passed sank low astern, he swept the river for sign of the pursuing launch. "By Jove!" he muttered, with a start. "Well?" "She has shifted her course. I can see the white of her hull right under the trees on the south bank." "She must have gained a lot, then," grunted Mr. Hume, "if you can see her hull." "She's making out again.
"Jackal, sure enough. Maybe sent adrift by a flood, and taken to a tree." The captain laughed. "I thought it was a hoodoo at least. Well, lad" turning to Venning "you don't want me to pick up a creature like that?" "I don't think it is far away, sir. I think I see a tree or boat, and if you would lower me over the bows and ease the vessel " "Well?" "Perhaps I could pick it up."
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