Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-01-19

we going TO get your mistress out OF that
camps'
Loose the slaves and let them kill their
masters, Soa answered laconically.
- doubt that there is much fight in
slaves, +" said Leonard.
There should be 80 Of Mavoom's men
there" she replied, ''and they will fight
well enough if they have arms"
Then Leonard looked at Otter, seeking
! further ideas
My shake puts it into my head" said
the dwarf, that fire is a good friend when
men are few and foes many; also that the
reeds yonder are dry, and the sea wind
rises and will blow hard before midnight
Moreover, all these houses are matched,
and in a wind fire jumps. But can regi
ment have two generals You are our cap
tain, baas. Speak, and we will do your
bidding. Here one counsel is as good as
another. Let fate speak through your
mouth"
VERY well" said Leonard. This is
my plan. 1t goes little further than
yoars, that is all. We must gain entrance
to the nest while 1t is still dark, before the
nloon arises. | know the watchword-
Devil Disguised as we are, perhaps the
sentry will let us pass unquestioned If
I
Good" said Otter, ''but how about the
/ woman heresp
'sWe will have her hidden in the bush
4 She could be of no help in the camp and
might hinder u.s. y
mo, white man," broke in Soa.
''Where you go / go also Moreover, my
mistress is yonder, and would seek her"
las you like, answered Leonard, then
nj on. hot Inn
there is only one-and the low wall that
borders the canal separating the nest from
the slave camp, and if the drawbridge is
up and no other means can be found we
swim the dixie, dispose Of tho sentry there
also and gain the slave camp There we
must try to free some of the slaves and
send them round through the garden into
The morass to fire the reeds should the
wind blow strong enough Meanwhile |
propose to walk boldly into the camp, sa-
lutte Pereira, pass myself off as SLAYER,
with dhow at the mouth of the river and
say that l have come to buy slaves, and,
above ALL to bid for the white girl. Luck
lily we have good deal of gold This is
my plan so far as it goes, and the rest we
must leave to chance. If l can buy the
Shepherdess, will; If not, l must try to
get her off in some other way"
Good, bGas, and now let us eat, for we
shall need all our strength tonight Then
we will go down to the landing place and
take our chance"
As yet the night was intensely dark, and
the gloom did not tend to raise their spir
its; also, as Otter had predicted, the wind
was getting up and soughed the reeds and
willows in melancholy notes.
So the time passed till it was O'Clock.
1--WE must move down to the landing
place, - said Leonard. There will soon
be some light-enough for us to work by. =
Then Otter took the lead, and slowly,
step by step, they crept back to the road
and followed it down the shore of the canal
opposite the water gate Here was place
where boats and canoes were tied, both fol
convenience in crossing the canal to and
from the camp and for the use of the slave
dealers when they passed to the secret
harbor six miles away, where the dhows
embarked their cargoes,
Here they waited awhile. From the nest
came the sound of revelry; from the slave
camp there rose other sounds-the voice
of grooming, broken by an occasional wall
wrung out of the misery of some lost
creature who lay there in he'll. Gradually
the sky Frightened little.
PePhaps We had better be making a
start, . said Leonard "There is canoe
which will serve our turn"
Before the words were out of his mouth
they heard a sound of oars and boat crept
past them and made fast to the water gate
20 yards away.
"Who goes there?" came the challenge
of the sentry in Portuguese "Speak
quick, or l fire. u
Don't be in such hurry with your
rife, fooli" answered coarse voice 1.-THE
very best of friends goes here an honest
trader called Xavier, who comes from his
plantation ON the coast to tell you all good
news"
Pardon, senor," said the sentry, "but
how was a man to see in the dark, big as
you are9 What is the news, then? Are
the dhows in sight?'
Come down and help us to tie up this
cursed boat and l will tell you. You
know where the post is, and we can't find
it,"
The sentry obeyed with alacrity, and
the man called Xavier went on. ''Ycs,
the dhows are in sight, but don't think
that they will get In tonight because of
the wind, SO you may look for busy day
tomorrow loading up the biackbirds. One
is in, by the way, small one, from Mad
agaseGr. The captain is stranger, u big
Frenchman named Pierre, or he may be
an Englishman for anything | know !
hailed him and found that he is all right,
but l didn't see him. However, | sent
him note to tell him that there was fun
on here tonight, which WIS, terous of me,
as he may be a rival bidder "
us he coming, senor?'' ask, because.
If SO, | must look out for him.
II don't know. He answered that he
would if he could, but how is the English
girl? She is to be put up tonight, isn't |
sheS"
"Oh, yes, senior, there will be great
deal to do at II, when the moon Is high
AS soon as she has been bought the priest
Francisco is to marry her to the lucky |
man there and then. The old fellow in.
sists on it. He has grown superstitious |
about the girl and says she shall be prop
erly married.
Xavier laughed aloud. Has he, now |
He is getting into his dotage Well, what |
does it natter We have good law of !
divorce in these parts, friend. am going |
ounces for her, will buy her, and have !
brought the gold with me-"
"A hundred ounces for one girl 1t is |
large sum, senior, but you are rich, not |
like us poor devils, who get all the risk |
and little profit"
BY this time the men had finished tying |
up the boat and getting some baggage or
provisions out of her, Leonard could not |
see which. Then Xavier and the sentry
went up the steps together followed by |
the two boatmen, and the gates were shut
behind them.
well, whispered Leonard, "we have
learned something at any rate. Now, OF
ter, am Pierre, the French slave trader
from Madagascar, and, understand, you are
my servant. As for Soa, she is the cook,
or interpreter, or any one you like. We
must pass the gates, but the real Pierre
must never pass them. There must be no
sentry to let him in. Do you think that
you can manage it, Otter, or must ls'i
lit comes into my head, baas, that we
may learn a lesson from this Xavier
might forget something in the canoe, and
the sentry might help me to find it after
you have passed the gates. For the rest
am quick and strong and silent.
Quick and strong and silent you must
be. A noise, and all is lost ,,
Then they crept to the canoe which they
had selected and loosened her. They got
in, and Otter took the paddle. First he
let her float gently down stream and I'M
der cover of the shore for distance Of
about 80 yards. Then he put about, and
the pair began,
Now, yon fool where are you padding
TOT" said Leonard in loud voice to Otter,