Baynes, who had at first felt inclined to take offense at the mention of his private affairs by this common fellow, was mollified by Hanson’s final remark, and immediately commenced to see in him a man of fine discrimination.
“He’s a darned bounder,” grumbled the Hon. Morison; “but I’ll get even with him. He may be the whole thing in Central Africa but I’m as big as he is in London, and he’ll find it out when he comes home.”
“If I was you,” said Hanson, “I wouldn’t let any man keep me from gettin’ the girl I want. Between you and me I ain’t got no use for him either, and if I can help you any way just call on me.”
“It’s mighty good of you, Hanson,” replied Baynes, warming up a bit; “but what can a fellow do here in this God-forsaken hole?”
“I know what I’d do,” said Hanson. “I’d take the girl along with me. If she loves you she’ll go, all right.”
“It can’t be done,” said Baynes. “He bosses this whole blooming country for miles around. He’d be sure to catch us.”
“No, he wouldn’t, not with me running things,” said Hanson. “I’ve been trading and hunting here for ten years and I know as much about the country as he does. If you want to take the girl along I’ll help you, and I’ll guarantee that there won’t nobody catch up with us before we reach the coast. I’ll tell you what, you write her a note and I’ll get it to her by my head man. Ask her to meet you to say goodbye—she won’t refuse that. In the meantime we can be movin’ camp a little further north all the time and you can make arrangements with her to be all ready on a certain night. Tell her I’ll meet her then while you wait for us in camp. That’ll be better for I know the country well and can cover it quicker than you. You can take care of the safari and be movin’ along slow toward the north and the girl and I’ll catch up to you.”
“But suppose she won’t come?” suggested Baynes.
“Then make another date for a last good-bye,” said Hanson, “and instead of you I’ll be there and I’ll bring her along anyway. She’ll have to come, and after it’s all over she won’t feel so bad about it—especially after livin’ with you for two months while we’re makin’ the coast.”
A shocked and angry protest rose to Baynes’ lips; but he did not utter it, for almost simultaneously came the realization that this was practically the same thing he had been planning upon himself. It had sounded brutal and criminal from the lips of the rough trader; but nevertheless the young Englishman saw that with Hanson’s help and his knowledge of African travel the possibilities of success would be much greater than as though the Hon. Morison were to attempt the thing single handed. And so he nodded a glum assent.