Though he searched every room in the main house, he could find no arms save the weapons adorning the walls, and these were handsome but useless to him.
Evidently Solomon had small use for weapons, so he was forced to bide content with his own two revolvers. Meanwhile, the problem of Jenson and the consulate askaris was worrying him.
There was no doubt that the secretary had swum ashore, either frightened or wounded by Sara Helmuth's bullet, the night he had stabbed Mohammed Bari in the launch. He had met Harcourt the next morning, probably after hiding on the wharf all night; and where had he been during the intervening week?
Remembering the askaris, Hammer whistled softly and consulted Omar ibn Kasim, who replied to his questions with the information that the German Consul in Mombasa did not have askaris, requiring no protection; but that all the Consulates in Zanzibar did, and, further, that if a man was fool enough to be in a hurry he could get to Zanzibar from Mombasa and back in a couple of days, more or less.
This, then, explained the actions of Jenson fairly well. Immediately after his stabbing Harcourt he must have gone aboard the Juba to Mombasa—but would he have the influence and authority to command askaris? Also, he was taking them to Fort St. Thomas, a thing he would never dare do on his own initiative. This compelled a readjustment.
Evidently, then, Jenson had gone to Dr. Krausz, either overland or by launch. This could be verified by ascertaining in Melindi if he had hired a launch at the time in question; yet he must have done so to account for his other movements.
Armed with letters from Krausz, the American reflected, he had caught the Juba on her next trip, connected at Mombasa for Zanzibar, and hurried back with the askaris. Krausz evidently wanted men who could shoot, as these Masai could.
Hammer strongly doubted whether it was legal or not to bring the Consulate guards from Zanzibar up here into British East Africa. Certainly, the German Consul would take no such risk, for the thing would be sure to demand investigation if illegal, as Hammer thought it was.
How, then, had Jenson secured the men? Probably by misrepresentations, or else by actual lies; and if this was the case Hammer felt that he had Krausz cornered at last.
Omar had met the party leaving Melindi, however, and if Jenson acted thus openly the presence of the askaris must be unquestioned.