"Tell Coja to bring it here, khansaman," said John. "I've a suspicion, Ferrier; we'll soon prove it."
When Coja brought the rifle, John examined it carefully. It was a Snider.
"It's as I thought, Ferrier," he said. "This is one of the rifles run off with by those porters of ours--the sweeps! I don't like the look of it. Looks as though they've started an organized band of freebooters. We shall have to report this at Fort Hall or Nairobi; perhaps you'll do that. I suppose you'll be off to-morrow to get that arm of yours properly attended to."
"That's all right. It's beginning to heal, rather slowly though, and if you can put up with me for a few days I'd like to stay here. Food and rest is what I want more than doctors. Besides, if your deserters have joined that pack of savages they may make a raid on you, and I'll be of some use, even left-handed."
"No, sah," said Coja, "bad man no come all dis way. Juma and dem debbils, oh yes! but not de Embe, oh no! dey never live for come long way."
"Coja's right, Ferrier," said John. "By all accounts no natives will go raiding more than twenty miles from their village, except the Masai, and we haven't to deal with them. Juma and his Swahilis might come if they dared, but they won't venture without support. That'll do, Coja. How's your shoulder, by the way?"
"Jolly fine, sah. Bill him give me stuff to put on, berry good magic."
"There you are, Ferrier," cried John, laughing. "We've got a doctor on the spot. Bill is a Wanderobbo we've made friends with, a little old man who lives by himself and tells fairy-tales about a wonderful store of ivory belonging to him in an enemy's country. He's by way of being a herbalist, too, it appears. We'll have a look at his 'berry good magic' by and by."
The magic turned out to be a decoction of herbs which Bill had smeared on Coja's wound, binding it up with leaves. He begged the new msungu to make a trial of it, and Ferrier after some hesitation consented. His wound healed more rapidly after the application, and Bill was delighted with the present of a few cents--without doubt the first doctor's fee he had ever earned.
Ferrier remained for the present at the farm, his healthy constitution soon reasserting itself after the strain of his recent experiences. His father's death had left him his own master. He had an only sister living with an aunt at Toronto, and he wrote to her and to the family lawyers, relating what had happened, but saying nothing of his intentions. The letters were entrusted to his porters, whom he dismissed with the exception of three. On reaching Nairobi, the men would take the train to Kisumu, and reach their homes in Uganda by steamer across the Victoria Nyanza.