Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/300

290 give a drowsy caw as we disturbed it, or a wild pig would jump up with a grunt and go trotting off into the undergrowth; but beyond these things we hardly made a sound. Once more we arrived at the small precipice behind the huts and, having done so, sat down for a few moments to give the other parties time to take up their positions. Then signing to Beckenham to follow me, I followed the trend of the precipice along till I found a place where we might in safety descend. In less than a minute we were on the plateau below creeping towards the centre hut. Still our approach was undetected. Bidding Beckenham, in a whisper, wait for me, I made my way cautiously round to the front, keeping as much as possible in the shadow. As soon as I had discovered the door I made my way towards it and prepared to force my way inside. But I had an adventure in store for me which I did not expect. Seated in the doorway almost hidden in the shadow was the figure of a man. He must have been asleep, for he did not become aware of my presence until I was within a foot of him. Then he sprang to his feet and was about to give the alarm, but before he could do so I was upon him. Then commenced a desperate hand-to-hand struggle, in which I was fighting solely for his throat. This once obtained, I tightened my fingers round it and squeezed until he fell back unconscious. It was like a horrible nightmare, that combat without noise in the dark entry of the hut, but I was thankful that it had ended so satisfactorily for me. As soon as I could I rose to my feet and proceeded past his body into the hut itself. A swing door led from the porch, and this I pushed open. "Who is it, and what do you want?" said a voice which I should have recognised everywhere.