“You shall have something more than the usual amount paid for such services, for the journey may entail more than the usual amount of work and danger.”
“I shall expect nothing more than I have been accustomed to getting,” answered the Abyssinian.
“We will decide on that later,” said Mr. Graham, “but tell us now of the finding of the goat-skin.”
“I will do so,” said Sedai. “When on my last expedition, far up in the country, I heard this story from the mouth of an old man. It may be false, but I believe it to be true. Umsaga, that is the name of the old man, said: “One day when I was quite a boy I was out hunting on the mountain side, and among the undergrowth disclosed a flat stone, which had at some remote period covered an opening about four feet square, in the side of the mountain. Being curious to know whither the hole led, I entered, but had gone only a short distance when I heard a groan. This scared me but I determined to learn what it was that had made the noise. I returned to the outside and procuring a torch, again entered the cave, and followed in the direction from which the sound came, and had not gone far when I almost stumbled over the prostrate body of a man. I felt it and found it still warm, but upon close examination found that life was extinct. He was of the white race, but exposure and starvation had tanned and drawn the skin tight over the bones. By his side was a knife, and clutched in his hand was a piece of goat-skin, on which he had cut strange characters, which I could not decipher. I took the goat-skin and never again entered the cave.”
“This was the old man’s story,” continued Sedai, “and offering him a piece of cloth for the goat-skin, he eagerly accepted it and I left him.”
“And you could read it?” asked Mr. Graham.
“I was for a time in the service of an Englishman in my own country and knew some English. I have learned more since, but I could not make out all of the letters. With Mr. Boyd’s help, however, all was made plain. It is here,” and Sedai saying this, handed the parchment to Mr. Graham.
The party gathered around Mr. Graham and examined the goat-skin closely.
“And the old man never sought to solve the mystery?” said Harry.
“So he said,” answered Sedai.