Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/130

 could not guess the use. They discussed it item by item—seeking to discover what might be lacking.

"You must remember, my dear Colonel," said Lyttleton, "that if we need a tool we can't walk into a shop and purchase it. We must send to England, or America—which requires weeks, perhaps months."

Hence the formidable outfit.

"I'm afraid, gentlemen," remarked the Colonel, "that you will find this a very costly experiment."

Lyttleton shrugged his shoulders, "We want to see if those lands will produce cotton. If it costs ten shillings a pound, our directors care nothing for that. They must produce cotton." Then they plunged into a wilderness of plantation detail—labor, water, climate, soil, every thing.

Their preoccupation left Zack to his own devices. The Sheikh Muza had departed with his retinue, and Zack was glad of that. A band commenced playing, somewhere along the front; and Zack was even gladder. The awnings flapped overhead. White spray arose lie a sheeted rain-ghost, appearing above the sea-wall and dropping back again. The beggar had returned. His skinny arm stuck out, like the withered limb of a tree. Zack rambled aimlessly towards the front. Lykoff watched closely and saw the old negro