Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/302

 Dongalawi snatched it up; it was no coin, not gold, nor yet a piaster. He could not guess what manner of treasure he had found. Clutching his riches, the brown man sped away, far from incrimination, and stopped in a starlit place to examine. Verily Said had found a jewel, a talisman bearing the face of a king, and cabalistic words in an unknown tongue. The Dongalawi's eyes blazed with avarice and delight. Here was wealth far beyond piasters, wealth of jewels and of gems. Said turned it over in his trembling palm. Upon the back there was a pin to fasten it to a robe of honor, such as great ones wear.

When Zack dumped the Spottiswoode campaign badges into his trunk he felt secure as a suck-egg dog which has buried the shells. No matter if the Colonel had ordered him to throw them away, Zack wasn't going to chuck a box full of brand new shiny badges into the river—no sir, he'd rather risk another cussing. The Colonel might just as well have ordered Zack to drown somebody's baby, or to kick a widow woman's dog into the creek.

Having negotiated a compromise, Zack approached the quarters with keen eye and careless saunter. The flurry had blown over; there would be no storm. Colonel Spottiswoode sat facing the door, with a book in his lap, while McDonald and