Guy in the Jungle: or, A Boy's Adventure in the Wilds of Africa. Graydon William Murray

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СКАЧАТЬ first. The great annual fair has just opened at Berbera, and I have on board large stores of merchandise and trading properties. On other occasions I go to Zaila first, but during the progress of the fair I always go direct to Berbera and unload. I supposed that fact to be generally understood," and, turning on his heel, the captain walked off to give some orders to his men.

      Guy was half inclined to be angry at first, but on reflection he concluded he was just as well satisfied. Besides, it would give him a chance to see that wonderful African fair, which he now remembered to have heard about on different occasions.

      But one other person was visible on the deck, a short, chunky man, with a dark complexion, and crafty, forbidding features.

      A Portuguese or a Spaniard Guy put him down for at once, and he instantly conceived a deep mistrust of him. The fellow, however, was inclined to be sociable.

      "Ah, an Englishman," he said, coming up to Guy and holding out his hand, an action which Guy professed not to see.

      "You are going to Berbera, perhaps," he went on, nowise discomfited by the rebuff.

      "No," said Guy shortly. "To Zaila."

      "Ah, yes, Zaila! You have friends there, perhaps? I, too, am acquainted. I know very well Sir Arthur Ashby, the governor at Zaila."

      His keen eyes scanned Guy's face closely, and noted the faint gleam of surprise at this information.

      But Guy was too clever to be thrown off his guard.

      "Yes," he said. "I know some people here. I have not the pleasure of Sir Arthur's acquaintance."

      He would have turned away at this point, but the man pulled a card from his pocket and presented it to him. Guy glanced it over with interest:

C. Manuel Torres,Trader at Aden and Berbera

      "A vile Portuguese slave-hunter," he thought to himself.

      "Well, Mr. Torres," he said. "I am sorry that I have no cards about me, but my name is Chutney."

      The Portuguese softly whispered the name once or twice. Then, without further questioning, he offered Guy a cigar, and lit one himself.

      Manuel Torres proved to be quite an interesting companion, and gave Guy a vivid account of the wonders of the fair.

      As they went below at dinner time he pointed out on the corner of the dock a great stack of wooden boxes.

      "Those are mine," he said. "They contain iron and steel implements for the natives and Arabs."

      "They look like rifle cases," Guy remarked carelessly; and, looking at the Portuguese as he spoke, he fancied that the dark face actually turned gray for an instant. In a moment they were seated at the table, and the brief occurrence was forgotten.

      All that afternoon they steamed on across the gulf, overhead the blue and cloudless sky, beneath them waters of even deeper blue, and at sunset the yellow coast line of the African continent loomed up from the purple distance.

      Guy had been dozing under an awning most of the afternoon, but now he came forward eagerly to get his first glimpse of eastern Africa.

      To his great disappointment, the captain refused to land.

      It was risky, he said, to make a landing at night, and it would be dark when they entered the harbor. They must lie at anchor till morning.

      Most of the night Guy paced up and down the deck sleeping at brief intervals, and listening with eager curiosity to the strange sounds that floated out on the air from the shore, where the flickering glare of many torches could be seen.

      Stretched on a mattress, the Portuguese slept like a log, without once awakening.

      Before dawn the anchors were lifted, and at the captain's suggestion Guy hastened down to his cabin to gather up his scanty luggage, for most of his traps had gone on to Calcutta in the Cleopatra.

      He buckled on his sword, put his revolvers in his pocket, clapped his big solar topee on his head, and then reached down for the morocco traveling case which he had stored away for better security under his berth.

      A cry of horror burst from his lips as he dragged it out. The lock was broken, and the sides were flapping apart. For one brief second he stared at it like a madman, and then, with frantic haste, he fell on his knees, and, plunging his hands inside, began to toss the contents recklessly out upon the floor. Toilet articles, linen, cigars, writing-paper, jewelry, and various other things piled up until his finger nails scraped the bottom. He turned the case bottom up and shook it savagely, shook it until the silver clasps rattled against the sides, and then he sank back with a groan, while the drops of perspiration chased each other down his haggard cheeks.

      The precious despatches were gone.

      For the time being Guy was fairly driven out of his senses by the horror of the calamity. Ruin stared him in the face. What madness it was to leave those papers in his cabin! He had foolishly hesitated to carry them on his person for fear the perspiration would soak them through and through, and now they were hopelessly lost. The cabin door had been locked, too. The thief must have had a key.

      The first shock over, his manliness asserted itself, and he took a critical view of the situation. He hardly suspected any person as yet. The despatches must be recovered. That was the first step.

      He flew up the stairs, three at a time, and rushed panting and breathless upon deck.

      All about him was the hurry and bustle of preparation. The shore was close at hand, and the steamer was moving toward the rude wharf. Manuel Torres was leaning over the rail, coolly smoking a cigar. The captain stood near by, gazing intently at the shore. He looked up with wonder as Guy appeared, crying out in hoarse tones:

      "I have been robbed, captain, treacherously robbed. Documents of the greatest importance have been stolen from my cabin, and not a soul shall leave this steamer till every inch of it has been searched. I demand your assistance, sir!"

      CHAPTER II.

      A STRANGE MEETING

      Torres looked up in apparent surprise from his cigar, and the captain's ruddy face flashed a shade deeper.

      "Are you sure, sir?" he cried. "This is a strange place for a robbery."

      Guy turned on him hotly.

      "A robbery has been committed, nevertheless, and the articles stolen are despatches for the governor of Zaila. They were intrusted to me for delivery, and I look to you to recover them."

      "Ah! Government despatches, were they?" said the captain. "Just step below and we'll look into the matter."

      They turned toward the cabin, leaving the Portuguese still gazing over the rail.

      At the foot of the steps the captain stopped.

      "Why, what's this?" he said, stooping down and pulling from under the lowest step a bunch of papers.

      "The stolen despatches!" cried Guy wildly. "But look! The seals have been broken."

      Together they inspected the documents. Each envelope had been opened, but the contents appeared to be all right. The thief had plainly been satisfied with their perusal.

      "Whoever stole them," said the captain, "was afraid СКАЧАТЬ