Jekyll pricked up his ears.
“Is that one of your boys?” he said.
“Yes. He was carrying my gun and cartridges.”
“Well, there was no gun and cartridges with your donkeys when they turned up.”
“The devil there wasn’t!” said Tarrant. “Let’s go and look into it.”
They went outside, Jekyll and two or three others accompanying them. The three boys in charge of the donkeys were there. They had off-loaded the packs and taken them inside. Where was Mafuta? They did not know. They had last seen him about half way; after that no more. They thought perhaps he had been ordered to try and shoot some game on the way. Tarrant looked blue.
“Oh, he’ll turn up,” he said, in a tone which conveyed the idea that such a contingency was remote.
“Pity you trusted him with a gun in these times,” said Jekyll. “I’m afraid he’ll clear with it.”
“Wot’ll yer tike for the chawnce?” said the Cockney, who was one of those who had accompanied them outside.
“Oh, he’ll roll up directly,” said Tarrant, ignoring this specimen; “Mafuta’s a reliable boy. I’ve had him a long while.”