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"Herr wachtmeister, why listen to him he lies!" "Silence," stormed the wachtmeister fiercely, "your time will come to speak, stand back. And how know you if he lies before he speaks? Back!"
They were bronzed, burly men, arrayed in a corduroy uniform, with a wide felt hat bearing a large Imperial crown in gilt as a badge, and were fully armed with Mauser rifles, revolver and light saber. "Donnerwetter!" exclaimed the leader, a big sergeant, or wachtmeister, as they cantered up. "What is this, murder?" "Murder and there goes the murderer!" said the professor.
But now the big wachtmeister, a powerful and athletic man, was less cumbered by his would-be helpers, and getting a firm grip on Dick with both arms he gradually forced him down on the unfortunate Brietmann, whilst Spattboom, his one remaining helper, valiantly clung to Dick's frantically kicking legs.
"Enough," he exclaimed, "think shame, Brandt, to shoot an unarmed man! That would be cowardly, and you are no coward! They taught you not such unbillig spiel at the gymnasium at Munich." "Unarmed!" spluttered the wachtmeister, "he has the handcuffs and my nose is smashed! Herr Professor, you must not stand between me and my prisoner. With all respect, no!
"I knew I hit him," said the wachtmeister significantly. "Junes," thought Dick; "now if they find he really has the stones what will happen then?" Junes it was: they found all that the vultures had left of him lying there by the water, with a ghastly bullet-hole through back and shoulder. The marvel was that he had lived to ride so far.
"The word of a murderer, a delirious man, and a thief against that of four gentlemen!" Gilderman exclaimed, bluffing desperately for the benefit of the wachtmeister and Brietmann; who had pulled themselves together, and stood looking with lowering brows from one to the other. "Gentlemen! Lieber Gott!
Again the wachtmeister made notes; and in their efforts to stand in as well as possible, each now tried to further implicate the other, till the sergeant closed his book and roughly bade them be silent, and keep their precious tale for the Richter in Windhuk, who would try them.
And some day I should like to meet you in friendly ringen-spiel, I think I would pay you in full for that blow!" "Nothing would suit me better," said Dick eagerly, for he regretted the blow almost, but not quite, as much as the wachtmeister, and he was a past master at wrestling. "Whenever you like, Herr Brandt; shall we try a fall now?"
"Come, Herr wachtmeister," the latter called to the big sergeant, "the man has but little time, and would make a statement." The sergeant came and knelt by the dying man. "Where are the diamonds," he asked, pencil in hand. "Nein, ich wissen nicht," gasped Grosman, "stoop lower, and I will tell all ... I know." "He lies," said Gilderman and Jelder together, crowding near to the bed.
"Donner-wetter!" yelled the wachtmeister, "the diamonds! Here is the thief!" And instantly he seized Dick in a formidable grip. Curses and execrations burst from the other men, who, wildly excited, crowded round Dick and the diamonds threatening and exulting. "Thief! Scoundrel! Rascally mule-driver! Schwein-hund!" they cried. "The handcuffs, Brietmann!
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