"Quite so. And I am sure we can depend on you, Captain, to supply a good rope--even for your partner."
Reinecke turned angrily towards the major, whose attitude throughout the interview had been very unsatisfactory, and in whose tone he had caught a hint of contempt. But the explosion that seemed imminent was prevented by a knock at the door and the entrance of the major's servant.
The man saluted formally, and announced that an Arab was enquiring for Captain Reinecke.
"Send him in," said the major: "unless you would prefer to see him at your own quarters, Captain."
"No. Why should I meet an Arab secretly?" said Reinecke with irritation. "Let him come in."
There entered a lean, haggard Arab, in worn and tattered dress, with one arm in a sling. He bowed to the officers.
"Haroun!" cried Reinecke. "I hardly knew you ... It is one of my overseers, Major ... Where have you been?"
The man, in his broken German, poured out a long story, which keenly interested the officers in different ways. He said that, after having been removed from the plantation, he had been forced to take service with the Englishman, and been cruelly treated by him. Lifting his tunic, he turned his back, and displayed a few weals. He escaped, and was fired at and wounded in the arm. After several terrible days in the forest, he had managed to crawl into Bismarckburg, and what with hunger and pain was now at the point of death.
"Flogging a German subject!" cried Reinecke. "Another nail in the Englishman's coffin."
"A knot in the noose, let us say. Your Arab had better have something to eat: he may then tell us a good deal that we want to know. His arm can be attended to afterwards. He is not so near death as he thinks."