In Search of the Okapi Part 13

"See them?" said Compton, offering his gla.s.ses to Venning and pointing up-stream.

Far up Venning saw three dark objects on the shining glance of the vast river. One, the canoe fringed with branches, slowly drifting upon the other two, raised but a few feet above the water on a gleaming yellow sand island. One hippo, with its huge head swinging, was standing up, looking not unlike an overfed prize pig. Then the other rose, and the two walked towards the water.

"Wow! the old bull keeps on the safe side. I said it; he is wise."

"Shameless!" cried the women.

"Wherefore does the crocodile-slayer delay? Surely he knows the body will sink in the river if it reach the water."

"The smoke! He fires!"

"The cow is down! To the boats children--to the boats!"

Men and boys made a rush, and, out of a tremendous uproar of splashing and shouting, half a dozen canoes were flying at full speed for the cow's meat, altogether indifferent to the future proceedings.

"The smoke again! The bull has it! He is down; he is up; he is in the water! Wow! Look out, O 'slayer of crocodiles!'"

"But the cow lies still!" cried a woman, anxiously.

"Oh ay, there will be meat for the feast. But what of your man in the canoe if the bull seize him?"

"It is his risk," said the woman, calmly.

Venning dropped the gla.s.s, and he and Compton stood looking from the island to the old hunter, who seemed to know every point in the game better than they could follow through the gla.s.ses.

"Ah, it is well. They tear the branches from the canoe. They row straight for the island. The white man jumps--the men tumble out-- wow-wow!--the bull takes the canoe in his jaws. It will go hard with those who go for the meat if he get among them."

"The white man leaps in the water!" shouted another. "But he holds his gun above him. He reaches the sand; the others crawl up also.

They run! I do not see the bull!"

"There are crocodiles!" shrilled a woman, pointing with an arm heavily ringed with bra.s.s bangles.

"This is not their fight, mother."

"But they will take our meat."

"It is the bull I think of." "Will he meet the canoes, or will he face the three on the island? The white man sees the canoes; he waves them to go back, but they smell meat; they keep on." "What is this? He points his gun at them. They stop; they turn back."

"A pity," said one of the officers, with a grin. "We should have seen sport."

"But the sport is not over," said the other. "I back the bull.

Remember how he put you to flight, my friend. What is the meaning of this, old man?"--this to a hunter.

"Surely, O great one, it means one thing. The white man is afraid the canoes would draw the bull away. He wishes the bull to land--to attack him."

"More fool he, ay, my friend," said the officer, with a sneer.

"One of the men on the island is pointing," said Compton, who had taken up the gla.s.ses again. "I see something in the water where the canoe went down."

"I said it," shouted the old black; "the bull will fight. Stand, fast, O white man, for it is either you or he."

Those watching saw the bull land and hurl himself with amazing swiftness at Mr. Hume.

"Why doesn't he shoot?" yelled Compton.

"Wow! the white man springs aside. The bull squeals; he staggers; he is down. Behind the ear. I say it. There the bullet went in. There will be much meat." The old man took snuff, and cast a proud look around as if he alone had done the deed.

"By Jove!" muttered Venning, wiping his forehead. "It seemed a near squeak."

The two officers went back to their cool rooms, and the crowd broke up, the women and children going off dancing to collect firewood.

The little fleet of canoes descended on the island, and in a few minutes the carca.s.ses were hidden by bands of naked men, who slashed and cut, while crocodiles, attracted by the blood, appeared from all directions. In a very short time the fleet returned, and Mr. Hume, standing in a heavily laden craft, ran a greater risk than when he faced the savage old bull, for the gunwales were flush with the water, and the men were utterly reckless as they dashed along at the head of the flotilla.

As the men leapt ash.o.r.e, women seized the meat, and the village at once entered upon the wild orgy of the feast, forgetting Mr. Hume and all else in the one desire to start their jaws on the half- cooked flesh.

"Is all aboard?" asked Mr. Hume, as he jumped ash.o.r.e.

"Everything," said Compton. "We watched your shot, sir; it was splendid."

"Well, that part of the plan has gone off all right. It will be a more difficult job to free Muata and get away ourselves."

Venning described how he had seen the jackal approach the chief, and as he and Mr. Hume went into the village, leaving Compton in the boat, they cast an anxious glance at the square already agleam with fires in the growing dusk. Muata was still at the post, his head drooping and his body relaxed.

"That's bad," muttered the hunter; "he looks quite exhausted."

"Perhaps he's shamming."

"Let us hope so. In any case we may have to wait until past midnight, as I am afraid our hosts will not let me off. It would be better if we could get away early."

Fortune favoured them, for as the Zanzibar boy approached with a message from the officers, there arose the sound of rifle-shots from the forest beyond. The people in the square shouted a reply, and presently a party of men, dressed in long white robes, appeared.

They halted in the square, and the leader came on alone. He stooped to stare into the face of Muata as he pa.s.sed, then approached.

"Welcome, Ha.s.san! My people are feasting; thanks to the skill of my friend here;" and the Belgian who had come forward indicated Mr.

Hume.

The Arab peered into Mr. Hume's face and salaamed, with an evil smile on his wide, thin-lipped mouth.

"I am thankful," he said in the native dialect, "for your kindness in bringing back my slave"--pointing towards Muata.

"It was a small thing," said Mr. Hume.

"But it pleases me; and when you reach my zareba, all that is mine to command is yours."

He looked at Venning, and the boy noticed that the pupils of the eyes had a white speck, which gave to them a sinister appearance.

"Good," said the Belgian. "We will have a night. Pardon me for a short time while I discuss a little matter touching the reward for Muata with my friend Ha.s.san."

The two went off, the Arab casting a ferocious look back at the chief.