“But why in the name of wonder, are you here at all?” demanded Warden.
“Well, my ship reported that a yacht called the Sans Souci had landed a lot of arms and ammunition in a creek in neighboring territories. That made the authorities think a bit. But one of your fellows who accompanied us told me that the real scare came when a Mrs. Laing—she knows you, Warden, and she had been living some weeks at Lokoja—was seized with blackwater fever. She was pretty bad, so she sent for the Commissioner to put her affairs in order. Among other things, she warned him that some Portuguese scoundrel was undoubtedly planning a rising at Oku, and indeed all along the line of the Benuë and right through Southern Nigeria. There had been some rather curious ju–ju performances recently in a few of the seaboard districts, so it was decided to send a strong column up the Benuë to investigate matters. We dropped detachments of Hausas at every station we passed, and had intended halting some miles below here to–night, when we heard the drums going in the bush. Your Hausa man—Hudson his name is—urged us to push on this far. Jolly good job we did.”
“Has Mrs. Laing recovered?” asked Evelyn fearfully. The sailor hesitated a moment. He seemed to leave something unsaid.
“Oh, no. She went under in a day. Sad thing. I have never met her. An awfully nice woman, Hudson says.”
“I am sorry,” sobbed Evelyn. “She was too young to die, and she has not had much happiness in her life.”
“Let there be no more talk of death—I am weary of it,” said Warden cheerily, and he broke off into Arabic.
“What sayest thou, Beni Kalli? Hast seen enough of the black camel since we left Lektawa together?”
“Verily, Seyyid,” grinned the native. “I thought you and I should mount him in company to–night.”
“Can you do me the exceeding favor of lending me a suit of clothes?” said Warden, seeing that Bellairs was about his own height.
“Certainly. Come down to my launch. We ought to hold a council of war, I think. By the way, I suppose the ladies will not stir out of this room till your return.”