Evening star., 1925-07-12


was not in such good spirits
Il as before. Then we reached
Siana. and put up at a store
owned by 4. for the night The boys
welcomed us effusively, but their news
was far from good. The Nasal were
about to rise, so they said: already
they had been insolent in their man.
ner.
Much the same affair as the last
I expect was all l said when A. told
me.
Il don't know" said A This
shauri taffair, of wanting the young
Morani. and then taking the donkeys
on top of that. seems to have upset
them
y expect it will blow over. as the
last affair did. ! replied.
I'VE will hope So" said \.
Then \. had long talk with the
hoys. the result of which was that
they were unanimous in their opinion
that the natives would not he mo-
Tested So they could carry ON the
store as before.
You really think YOU will he quite
safe?" queried \.
g y dio. was the answer. "Wanataka
we've ma Mem-sahib" C'They want you
and the lady T.
The fact was that. we being the
seemed to have formed an idea that
we could he held as hostages until
they brought the government to rea-
son. from their point of view. and had
their donkeys returned. On the prin-
ciple that a woman's advice isn't
worth twopence to anybody. but the
man is a fool who does not take il, -,
suppose 4. asked what | advised
under the circumstances.
Well | said. II think | should he
on the safe side and take stock 1t
will necesSitate our staying here
longer than we otherwise should: still
] think it would he wiser So take
stock we did.
That night we left Siana. and went
on to another store also owned by a.
There was no moon, and we had TO go
very cautiously.
One thing helped us considera bly,
The Nasal were under the impression
that we were still at Sotik or had
been until this evening. when one or
two had seen y. in the store. Doubt
less the roads to Sotik were watched.
so how we managed to scramble
through was a mystery.
With the morning we came 70
NDangasera. There the tale was the
same. Yes. it was just the Bwana
and the Mem sahib who were wanted
no one else. The Bwana had bet
ter so quickly: the store. and every
thing in it. would be quite safe A
Nasal had been there only few
hours before and asked the price of
everything. The boys had told him.
when the Nasal had replied with a
laugh, Tomorrow. if we do not get
the Bwana and Mem-sahib. we will
come and take everything
Il thought the store would be quite
r. .
Yes: 1t is you and the Mem ,sahib
they want" was their reply.
So it amounted TO this-the store
would remain untouched if we volun-
tarily gave ourselves up.
One Sombe (oXl walked bit lame,
SO a. decided we must remain over
night to enable him to take stock
and give them rest.
A T II o'clock he had finished. 81
really must lie down. he said
81 feel dead beat" There were sew
eral sacks of rice resting against the
wall. and on these he lay. Just two
hours only-then wake me. won't
YOU? And YOU had better have your
gun ready. you may need it. There
is small crack against the door
through which you can see what is
going on outside. If YOU see any
thing suspicious or any of those beg
gars come about. wake me at once. :"
promised. took my gun. sat down
IN a pile of blankets. found the crack
which commanded good view of our
tents and prepared to keep my watch.
Twelve o'clock-hy the light of a
match I glanced at my watch, then
all was dark again. At half-paSt
/ struck another. Were two hours
and a half ever so long before? A
cricket kept up continual chirping
sound. | could not even hear A. s
breathing. SO soundly did he sleep.
How were they getting on at home?
! wondered. Had the Ma sal already
carried out their threat? If they
looted everything. how would my
poor animals get on? Manibura
would do his best for them. | knew
but what was Manihura against a
host of Nasal" Another match-a
quarter past :. How sleepy ! felt.
But A. should sleep until :, if pos
sihle
Our tents had heen put up exactly
opposite the store and now. into the
faint moonlight, came three figures
that froze me instantly. Morani
without a doubt. They stood out
straight and clean n-limbed in the shaft
Of light.
Then one entered As tent, then
smother and another. Soon they