Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/169

 I de 'Spected One, an' I 'plies back, I reckin' so—lots o' folks wuz lookin' fer me to come. When he 'spressed dat word to dem niggers, dey raised a terrible 'miration, an' he couldn't argue wid 'em no mo'. Dey 'sputed and 'sputed back'ards an' forrards till de white man got red in de face an' went back to his tent. Dis mornin' dat ole one-eyed nigger he wouldn't have it no other, way 'cept dey wuz all comin' 'long wid me."

"Well, Zack, you're in for it. You've got to stay here now and teach 'em. I'm going on up the river."

Zack worked off one of his sickest grins. "Cunnel, d'ain't nuff ropes on dis plantation to tie me. Dem folks danced all night, put ashes on deir heads an' stuck knives in deyselves. Made me so skittish I never slept a wink. I'm gwine when you goes. Fur's I'm concerned, I could travel right now!"

Lyttleton agreed with Zack. It might save an awkward situation for the strangers to travel at once. When the boat took them away, the Sheikh Tabira and his tribe gathered on the bank, howling at the departure of their long Expected One.

From Wadi Haifa to Khartum the lean Sudan flattens like a famished tiger, with lips against the Nile, sucking greedily at the chocolate colored water that is meat as well as drink.