The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-12-20

even be headed for 1t now. At any
rate, it would be worth while overtak-
ing them, even if only for the pleasure
of meeting again creatures of his own
kind.
The boy was In the lead, excitement
and anticipation carrying him ahead
Of his companion. And it was the boy
Who first saw the rear guard Of the
caravan and the white men he had
been so anxious to Overtake.
Stumbling along the tangled trail Of
those ahead a dozen heavily laden
blacks who, from fatigue or sickness,
had dropped behind were being prod
ded by the black soldiers of the rear
guard, kicked when they fell and then
roughly jerked to their feet and hus-
tied onward. On either side walked
q giant white man, whose heavy blond
boards almost obliterated their coun-
tenanceS.
The boys lips formed "a glad cry Of
salutati0n as his eyes first discovered
the whites-a cry that was never ut
tered, for almost Immediately he wit
81 -Scd that which turned his happi-
ness 10 anger as he saw that both the
White men were welding heavy whips
brutally upon the naked backs OF the
poor devils staggering along beneath
loads that would have overtaXed the
strength and endurance of strong men
AT the beginning of a ley day.
Every now and then the rear guard
and the white men cast ~apprehensive
glanceS ~rearward, as though IN
tarily expecting the naturalization Of
some long expected danger from that
quarter. The boy had paused after
his first sight of the caravan and now
was following slowly in the wake Of
the sordid, brutal spectacle.
Presently Akut came up with him..
To the beast there was less of horror
In the sight than to the lad, yet even
the great ape grOwled beneath his
breath at useless torture being intiict-
ed upon the helpless slaves.
He looked at the boy. Now that he
had caught up with the creatures OF
his own kind, why was it that he did
not rush forward and greet them? He
put the question to his companion.
They are fiends," muttered the boy.
~ would not travel with such as they,
for If | did | should set upon them
and kill them the first time they beat
their people as they are beating them
now. But" he added after a moments
thought, II can ask them the where
abouts Of the nearest port, and then,
Akut, w can leave them"
The ape made 40 reply, and the boy
swung to the ground and started at a
brisk walk toward the safari. He was
a hundred yards away perhaps, when
one of the whites caught sight of him.
The man gave a shout of alarm, in
stantly leveling his rifle upon the boy
and firing. The bullet struck just in
front of its mark, scattering turf and
fallen leaves against the lads legs. A
second later the other white and the
black soldiers of the rear guard were
firing Historically at him.
Jack leaped behind a tree, unhit.
Days of panic ridden flight through
the jungle had filled Carl Jensen and
Sven Malbihn with jangling nerves and
their native boys with unreasonable
terror. Every new note from behind
sounded to their frightened ears the
coming of the sheik and his blood
thirsty followers.
When, after conquering their nerv-
BUSINESS, the rear guard advanced upon
the enemy's position to investigate
they found nothing, for Akut and the
boy had retreated Out of range Of the
u%nfriendly guns.
Jack was disheartened and sad. He
had not entirely recovered from the
depressing effect of the u%nfriendly re-
ception he had received at the hands
Of the blacks, and now he had found
an even more hostile n accorded
him by men of his w color.
1.-THE lesser beasts flee from me In
terror" he murmured half to himself;
the greater beasts are. ready to tear