"Let's trade him for Brown of Lumbwa," suggested Fred genially. "Call him into our car and kick Brown out!"
"Trade nothing! I tell you the man is ours! Call him, and he'll bargain. Let him be, and the next time the Greeks ill-treat him he'll come straight to us in hope we'll show him kindness."
"Swallow your tea quickly, Solomon!" Fred advised him. "There goes the whistle!"
It was fresh tea, just that minute made for him. Will gulped down the scalding stuff and had to be thumped on the back according to Fred. With eyes filled with water he did not see what I did, and Fred was too busy guarding against counter-blows. The most public place and the very last minute always suited those two best for playing horse.
"Thought you said Johnson was asleep," said I.
"Possuming," coughed Will. "Shamming sleep to fool the Greeks."
"Possuming, no doubt," I answered, "but the Greeks are on. He has just come scurrying out of Lady Saffren Waldon's compartment. The Greeks watched him and made no comment!"
We piled into our own appointed place and sat for a while in silence.
"All right," said Will at last, lighting his pipe. "I own I felt like quitting once. I'll see it through now if there's no ivory and nothing but trouble! That dame can't thimblerig me!"
"We're supposed to know where the ivory is," grinned Fred. "Keep it up! They'll hunt us so carefully that they'll save us the trouble of watching them!"