Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/354

 326 DICK SANDS^ THE BOT CAPTAIN. He was most anxious to communicate to his oompaidoai In advenity his imi^ession that they- were not to be cairied into the heart of the coantiy» and hegan to cogitate «^letfaer some plan oould not be devised for sxchangîng afeir woids with them* Forked togetheTy as it has been said, two and twp» the libur nq[roes were at the right-hand extremity of the camp ; Bat attached to his father, Austin to Actaeon. A havildâtr, with twelve soldiers, formed their guard. Dick, at first, was about fifty yards away from the group, but being left finee to move about, contrived gradually to diminish the distance between himself and them. Tom seemed to apprehend his intention, and whispered a word to his companions that ihe|r should be on the look-out Without moving they were ail on their guard in a moment Dick, careful to conceal his design, strolled backward with a feigned indifférence, and succeeded in gettîng so near that he might hâve called out and informed Tom that they were going to Kazonndé. But he was desirous of accomplishing more than this ; he wanted to get an opportunity of havîng some conversation as to their future plans, and he ventured to approach still nearer. His heart beat high as he believed he was on the point of attaining his object, when ail at once the havildar, becoming aware of his design, rushed upon him like a mad- man, summoned some soldiers, and with considérable vio- lence sent him back to the front Tom and the others were quickly removed to another part of the cncampment Exasperated by the rough attack that was made upon him, Dick had seized the liavildar's gun and broken it, almost wrenching it from his hands, when several soldiers simultaneously assailed him, and would hâve struck him down and killed him upon the spot, had not one of the chiefs, an Arab of huge stature and ferocious countenance, inter- fered to stop them. This Arab was the Ibn Hamish of whom Harris had spoken to Negoro. He said a few words which Dick could not understand, and the soldiers, with manifest reluctance^ relaxed their hold and retired. It was évident that although Dick was not to be permitted to hold any. communication