Tom Willoughby's Scouts

he end of a single hair was merely a playful illustration of the insecurity of princes, and no object of fear. It may be supposed that the Greek, sitting within reach of t

orner of a table opposite; then he bent his eyes upon his plate, and applied himself with custo

the rest," said Tom when the man had broug

having gulped down his coffee, and the liqueur which the admirable Mirami served as

you--are

you wi

sat back in his chair, and said, in th

uld be madness to attempt to c

t by your own cou

tion, "is that you are playing a fool's game. You have the whip h

y used to be: th

few miles there are hundreds of well-trained troops; are you mad enough to think that these raw blacks, who

el

possible? Look at the ma

m agitated, Herr R

to ours, even as they are; and I tell you we shall have ten times as many in a

einecke, don't dr

be no more British East Africa. It is certain. Well now, I make a proposition. I wish to be fair. The plantation is of course confiscated; it will now be mine, solely. That is the fortune of wa

, falsified the books, tried to murder me! I should be a fool indeed if I placed reliance on the word of a man like you. Save your breath, Herr

rst contingent of Wahehe. They had establishe

p as many of the remaining loads as the

is hands. Mi

your fellows, and meet me a

n the ranks of the carriers, each man with a load. To the household servants were given light articles, such as candles, matches, paraffin, drugs. Among the supplies just brought from Bismarckburg we

he three Arab overseers under guard of riflemen, then Reinecke, followed immediately by Tom and Mwesa, and finally two lantern bearer

d tones to keep their courage up--must have startled the furred and feathered inhabitants of the forest. Bir

The plantation had been cleared of men; and even if the fugitive Germans and Arabs had succeeded in reaching a German post, there was little chance of an armed force coming up while night lasted. Nevertheless, the sense of responsibility and the need of keeping a close watch on Reinecke, whom, out of respect for the white man's dignity, he had left unbound, prevented Tom from getting any sleep. Indeed, few of all those there encamped, except the children, closed their eyes. The negroes, for all their weariness, talked

ard; the unarmed men gathered their loads and departed. Mirambo and a score of the elder men with rifles accompanied the latter, with orders not to allow the askaris to approach within half an

For some few minutes there was no repetition of the sound: then there came half a dozen cracks in succession, a little nearer--unmistakably the reports of rifles. Tom at once dispatched two men to follow

bout six miles away, offered many facilities for defence, and his plan had been to post his non-combatants far up towards the lake, and to employ the men to strengthen the position below. He had reckoned on being unmolested for a whole day, and the shot

their utmost speed; then selected a score of the older men, who in their day had fought the Germans, and ordere

ur through the forest when some of his scouts overtook him, and reported that a large force of askaris, under German officers, was pushing on at great speed. Knowing the hopelessness of getting from the natives a sound estimate of the enemy's numbers, he asked no questions, but pressed forward as rapi

ing column had probably covered two-thirds of the distance to the nullah. It would be at least another hour before they reached its entrance, and a sec

eat throng of ferocious askaris, like a swarm of wild bees, was dashing on with the speed of antelopes. Though he was aware of their habit of exaggeration, Tom was conscious of a consuming anxiety, but had self-command enough to present a calm and smil

ew scattered negroes in uniform. "Scouts feeling their way forward," he thought. The askaris moved rapidly, but cautiously, flitting from tree

a young officer in his first fight. In after days he often debated with himself and discussed with others how far humanity is compatible with war, and the conclusion that he came to was that war must be abolished, or humanity would perish. If man must kill man, whether the agent be bullet, shell, bomb,

oped with delight. Tom however, was under no delusion. One or more of the askaris had no doubt stolen back thro

tein and the Arabs, having escaped from the plantation, did not take the twenty-mile road to Bismarckburg, but struck southward to the highway to Neu Langenburg, a distance only half as great. On this road they met a half company of askaris marching towards Bismarckburg. The German officer in command, on learning what had happened at the plantation, tapped the tel

tently on the spot the boy pointed out, and presently saw several forms moving forward amid the brushwood. There were signs that others were coming up behind them

ad probably lost whatever skill they might once have had; the younger men had only begun their musketry course. He must at least wait for the inevitable rush across the open; then, per

a little in their rear; a word of command rang out, and the askaris, twenty strong, charged with a wild yell in double line across the open. Tom gave a shrill whistle, marked his man and fired. His shot was follow

e German had held part of his force in reserve. The slight losses suffered in feeling for the opposition had proba

men the order to retire quietly. They marched on for about half a mile, and then came to a rocky ridge fla

olley, followed by shouts. He guessed that the askaris were charging across the open space under cover of strong rifle fire. Abruptly the sounds ceased

enemy. He would probably suspect that he was being lured into a trap, and Tom desired nothing better. The German would feel his way f

e column of carriers at the spot where the askaris had been ordered to drop their loads. Now that he was himself able to keep an eye on them,

ta came bounding along the column towards him, jostling any carrier who was in his way.

all same

ho

massa

ine

do nuffin. He shoot one man, den go bang into

hment for the unwary guards, he smiled. Reinecke's escape was in a certain degree a relief to him. It had been necessa

ht Tom. "I hope I have