Stranleigh, with a pencil, wrote on the back of the letter the following dispatch to Mackeller.
“Report once more if the Rajah actually sails; then take with you anything you don’t want to leave, and come down to the water. The motor boat will be waiting for you. Come aboard at the prow, and get immediately out of sight in the forecastle, for sitting aft with me is the man who kicked you down into the hold, and I don’t wish him to recognize you.”
Giving this to the waiting steward, Stranleigh resumed conversation with his guest, who showed no desire to depart. Shortly after came the second message: “The Rajah has sailed. Send motor boat now.”
Stranleigh folded up the sheet of paper, and handed it to the steward.
“Give that to the captain,” he said, and a few minutes later the purr of the motor boat was heard leaving the ship. The sound aroused Frowningshield.
“Are you sending away the motor boat?” he asked. “As our steam launch has not returned, I fear I must depend on you for getting me down to the camp.”
“Oh, that’s all right,” replied Stranleigh easily. “The boat isn’t going far; just to pick up two of my men who’ve been prospecting in the hills. In fact, this is the end of my trespass, for there is little use in my gazing on a Promised Land that has been promised to somebody else. As for the motor boat, and getting to camp, I can take you there more comfortably than on that little craft. You see, there’s nothing further to keep me here, as I have said, unless I can make terms with your syndicate, and that very likely would not suit my book, because cheapness of land was one of my objects in coming so far. If your syndicate expects to find valuable minerals on this property, they are not likely to sell any of their holdings to me at such a price as I should care to pay, so I think I shall cast off and away, but whether I shall go north or south will depend on circumstances when I get out to sea.”
“What, you are not going to sail to-night, are you?” said Frowningshield, sitting up.
“Yes, there’s no use in stopping here any longer. Do you happen to know any place along the coast which would be suitable as a colonizing place for Englishmen? I should like it to resemble this as much as possible: hills, a large flow of pure water, free from any fever swamps, and good soil.”
“No, Mr. Stranleigh, this is the only portion of Africa I am acquainted with.”