With Wimba’s aid, the four boys bore the body of the chief to the door of his hut, from which one of the chief’s wives who hastened to join them brought out a pallet. On this they laid the unconscious form, while Jack worked at setting the dislocated shoulder. In this he was successful as, like all the boys, he was well drilled in administering first aid and performing rude surgery such as mishaps in the wilds necessitated.
Wimba and Matse rounded up the scattered bearers, and several were despatched to the boys’ camp to obtain the medical kit. They returned quickly, bringing the welcome intelligence that the camp had not been disturbed by the raiders who, approaching the village from an opposite direction, doubtless were unaware of its presence.
Thereupon, all three boys busied themselves administering to the wounded, a score of whom were collected. Women were pressed into service, as all the able-bodied men had joined in the pursuit of the routed enemy. Not until many hours of toil under the hot sun had been spent, however, was their self-imposed task of mercy completed. Then all the wounded had been attended to and made as comfortable as possible in the biggest hut of the chief’s enclosure, which had been commandeered as hospital.
It was nightfall, and most of the warriors had returned, under the leadership of Chief Ruku-Ru’s nephew, when the chief who had recovered consciousness and, in fact, was little the worse as a result of his encounter with the Bone Crusher, was informed that the boys had attended to all the injured.
He met them in the village square, where already a great fire was blazing and preparations for a big feast in celebration of the tribe’s victory were going forward. Wimba as usual acted as interpreter. And into his eyes came a gleam which warned the boys something unusual was afoot, before he ever interpreted the chief’s lengthy speech.
Lengthy though the chief’s speech had been, however, it was brief enough on Wimba’s lips. He was not so proficient in his command of English as to be able to render all the chief’s verbal flowers, and contented himself accordingly with reporting the gist of what the dusky monarch had said. Chief Ruku-Ru, one arm in a sling, in the meantime stood smiling at one side.
“Him much honor, baas,” said Wimba, addressing Frank whom, since the latter’s rescue of himself from death by means of the radio, he regarded as the leader of the boys. “Him chief say him take all three white young men into tribe and make Strong-Arm,”—indicating Bob, with a wave of the hand—“great chief.”
That this was an honor, the boys knew enough of local history to realize. Many African tribes degenerate when coming into contact with white men, and for them to make such an offer would be insolent and presumptuous. But the Kikuyus, far above the average of African intelligence, were a proud people. And the boys realized that, holding themselves in high esteem, the Kikuyus felt they were bestowing an honor.
In such a spirit, they accepted it.
“Tell Chief Ruku-Ru,” said Frank to Wimba, after consulting with his comrades, “that we shall make only one stipulation. We are very flattered. So much so that we want Mr. Hampton here to see when the ceremonies take place. Tell the chief that we shall summon Mr. Hampton through the air tonight to return, and that probably he can be back in two days. The ceremonies can be held then.”