Chapter 32. A Suspicion Of Baboons

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_ CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. A SUSPICION OF BABOONS

A few nights later Mark, who had just finished his portion of the nightly watch, called up Dan and made his report that all had gone well till about an hour before, when he fancied he had seen something creeping along through the bushes just beyond the camp.

"Jackal," said Dan.

"No; it seemed too big."

"Well, didn't the horses seem uneasy."

"No."

"Fancy, perhaps."

"Well, it may have been, and I half thought so then, else I should have roused someone up."

"Which way did it go, sir?"

"Right into the middle of the temple square."

"Well, it wouldn't have been a black, because if it had been one of them he would have made for the open."

"The doctor said that most likely there would be blacks about."

"Well, but," said Dan, "no one has seen a sign of anyone but our chaps."

"That's true," replied Mark, "but there must be tribes about here, and they'd see us before we saw them."

"Yes, sir; that's pretty sure, and it might be one of them come in the dark scouting to see what we are like, and how many there are of us."

"That doesn't sound pleasant, Dan. We don't want any company of that sort."

"No, sir. But look here; I think I have got it. Are you sure it wasn't a leopard?"

"I can't be sure, because it is too dark to see spots."

"Well, was it a human, sir?"

"I don't think so, because it was going on all fours."

"Oh, well, sir, the niggers are clever enough in that way. Both Mak and the little chap can run along like dogs and jump over a tree trunk or a big stone. It is wonderful what strength some of these half savage chaps have in their arms. Being a sailor and doing a great deal going up aloft has made me pretty clever hanging by one's hands or holding on by one's eyelids, as we say, at sea, while we furl a sail; but I am nowhere alongside of our Mak."

"But you as good as said you had an idea, Dan."

"Well, I have, sir, and I got it only the other day when I was down yonder right away towards the end of the ruins, seeing how far I could go without getting lost. I'd quite forgot all about it till you began to talk. I caught sight of something--just a peep of it as it looked up at me and then ran in amongst the rocks and bushes. I hadn't got a gun with me, and perhaps I had no business to be loafing about."

"Oh, never mind that," said Mark. "What was it you saw?"

"Well, it was something like a good big dog, but I had no chance of seeing it well; and I was just going to turn back when there it was again, or another like it, squatting on a stone at the end of one of them big walls; and when it saw I was watching, it was out of sight directly."

"Well, that doesn't help us much," said Mark impatiently.

"Don't it, sir? I thought it did, for it seems to me that it was what you saw to-night."

"Maybe," said Mark; "but what was it?"

"Well, I will tell you, sir. It was one of them big monkeys as Buck Denham talks about."

"I never knew him talk about any."

"Oh, he has to me, sir. He has seen them over and over again when he has been out with hunting gentlemen. He says they are as big as a good-sized dog, and a bit like one about the head. But they've got next to no tail. Go in packs, they do, like dogs, and make a sort of a barking noise. Pretty fierce too, he says they are, and bite like all that. Don't you think it might be one of them? Buck says they live in the kopjes."

"But would one be likely to be about here in the dark?"

"There's no knowing, sir--hanging round our kraal to see if it could pick up a bit of anything to eat. But there, I'll keep a sharp look out, and if I see anything worth while I'll fire."

"Do," said Mark. "Good-night."

"Good-night, sir."

Mark went to his blanket, and forgot all about the incident till after breakfast when he met his relief, who signed to him to follow into the clearing they had made by cutting down and burning the bushes.

"What is it, Dan?"

"Only this, sir. Remember what you saw last night?"

"Yes," cried Mark eagerly. "Did you see it too?"

"Well, I'm not sure, sir; only think I did."

"Think?"

"Well, you see, sir, what you said seemed to make me expect that I should see something. I could not be sure."

"Well, we had better tell my father and the doctor, and let's do it now."

Mark led the way straight to where the above were busily talking together and just about to start for a further exploration of the gigantic walls whose ruins cropped up in all directions; and after the matter had been discussed it was decided that though there was a doubt as to whether it was not all imagination, it would be wise to try to keep up a stricter watch by night.

"You see," said Dan, as Sir James and the doctor resumed their search, "it's like this, sir. It might be some animile or one of them doggy monkey things come stealing about in the night, or even one of the niggers come to see if he could pinch something good out of the stores."

"That's hardly likely," said Mark.

But a morning or two later Mark went up to his father and startled him with a question:

"Have you taken my rifle away, father?"

"Your rifle? No! Why?"

"It isn't hanging on the pegs with the others."

"Nonsense! Perhaps you did not look in the right place. Let's see."

Sir James led the way to where a number of pegs had been driven into the old wall beneath the canvas roof.

"They are not all there, certainly," he said. "Perhaps the doctor has taken yours by mistake."

"No; he has got his own."

"Mark, my boy, I'm afraid you have had it out somewhere and left it standing up against a rock or tree--forgotten it."

"Oh, father," cried the boy excitedly, "I am sure I haven't! I had it last night, cleaned it and oiled it carefully, and then put it back in its place."

"Are you sure? Last night?"

"Yes, father, certain. Here, I will call Dean."

The latter came trotting up in answer to his cousin's whistle, heard what was wrong, and corroborated Mark's words.

"But are you sure it was last night?"

"Yes, uncle, certain. I did mine at the same time. You must have had it out, Mark. It can't be lost."

"I haven't had it out," cried the boy angrily. "I had breakfast, then went and had a talk with Dan, and then went to get the rifle, and it was gone."

"Well, let the matter drop for a time," said Sir James quietly.

"Is anything wrong?" said the doctor coming up.

"Yes, my rifle's gone;" and after hearing what each had to say the doctor turned to Mark.

"You feel sure about it now, my boy, but we all have such fits as that sometimes; then all at once the fact dawns upon us that we have put away the missing article to be safe, or for some other reason, and then we wonder how we could possibly have forgotten it."

Mark nodded his head, looked at his cousin, and they went off together.

"Yes, the doctor's right," said Dean, as soon as they were out of hearing. "You will remember it all by-and-by."

"That I shan't," was the angry retort. "I feel as sure as can be that it has been stolen. Oh, here's Dan."

They came in sight of that sturdy little individual, in company with Buck.

"Here, Dan," cried Mark, "you know when I was talking with you a little while ago?"

"Yes, sir, of course."

"Had I got my rifle with me?"

"No, sir. A'n't lost it, have you, sir?"

"Yes, it's gone. You can't help me, can you, Buck?"

"No, sir.--Here, stop a minute."

"Ah! Now it's coming," cried Dean, laughing. "I told you so."

"You told me!" cried his cousin scornfully. "You only said what father and the doctor had told me before. Now, Buck, what were you going to say? When did you see it last?"

"Well, I saw it with you last, sir, when you relieved me on sentry."

"That's two or three nights ago," said Mark impatiently.

"Yes, sir; that must have been last Tuesday, and since then when you was on duty old Dan relieved you."

"Oh, don't go on prosing about that," cried Mark angrily. "I know as well as you can tell me. I want to find my gun."

"Well, sir, that's what I was going to tell you of, only you pretty well jumped down my throat."

"Well, tell me, then, and put me out of my misery. Where is it?"

"Oh, I don't know, sir."

"Then why did you begin talking as if you did?"

"Oh, come, Mr Mark, sir, don't get in a huff with a poor fellow. I warn't a-goin' to tell you where it was; I was a-goin' to tell you where it warn't."

"Oh," cried Mark, stamping his foot, "isn't it enough to aggravate a saint? These two are just alike, going on telling you a thing over and over again, especially if it is something you don't want to know. Look here, Buck; I have lost my gun."

"Yes, sir; you said so afore."

"And I know as well as you do where it is not."

"Exactly so, sir. You mean, in the arms rack as we made by driving them hard pegs into the courses of the wall."

"Yes," said Mark. "Well?"

"Well, sir, I was going to tell you--"

"What were you going to tell me?" raged out Mark.

"That when I went there this morning to get the ile bottle--"

"Yes, yes?" cried Mark.

"I run my eyes over the guns, and it struck me like as there was one short."

"The third one?" cried Mark eagerly.

"Yes, sir; that's right."

"Well, of course that was mine. Well, where is it?"

Buck took off his cap, scratched his head, and looked hard at Dean.

"Well, you needn't look at me," said the boy. "I haven't got it."

"No, sir, I can see that," said Buck, and he stared hard and questioningly at Dan, who looked back resentfully.

"Here, don't stare at me, messmate," cried the little sailor. "Think I've got it up my sleeve, or down one of the legs of my trowzes?"

"No, mate; you are such a little 'un that there wouldn't be room," said Buck thoughtfully.

"Right you are, mate; but you see I may grow a bit yet."

"Yes," said Buck, very slowly and thoughtfully, "and pigs may fly."

"Hullo!" cried Dan. "Pigs--pig--arn't likely, is it, as that little chap has took a fancy to it and sneaked it?"

"No," cried Mark indignantly. "The little fellow's as honest as the day."

"Yes, sir," said Buck dreamily, "but blacks is blacks, and whites is whites, and temptation sore long time he bore, till at last he may have given way."

"Oh, bosh!" cried Dean.

"No, sir," said Buck; "don't you say that. I've see'd that often, that little bow and arrow and spear chap looking longingly at that gun and kinder sorter was hupping of it as if it was a hidol as he'd give anything to grab."

"I don't believe he would," cried Mark. "If either of those two blacks would take anything, it would be far more likely to be Mak."

"Yes," said Dean, "but I wouldn't believe it of him. Why, we know for a fact that these blacks, who are something of the same breed, are awful thieves. But no; poor old. Mak is a very brave fellow, and now that he's beginning to talk a bit more English I'm sure he wouldn't rob us of a thing."

"Well, I don't know, Mr Dean, sir," put in Dan. "I wouldn't take upon me to say as he'd pinch a rifle, but it arn't safe to leave him anywhere near cold bones."

"Oh, food," said Mark; "that's nothing for a savage. But you have never known him dishonest over that."

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say dishonest, sir," said Dan, "but if you left a bit of one of them little stag things that we shoot and have after dinner cold for supper, he'd go and look for it again hung up in that pantry. It takes a lot of looking for; and then you don't find it, do you, mate?"

"No," said Buck, rather gruffly; "I do say that, mate. We have been disappinted three or four times and had to be contented with flapjack. He have got a twist, and no mistake. I have known him eat as much as me and Dan Mann put together, and then look hungry; but I suppose it is his natur' to. You don't think, then, gents, as it's likely that he's nobbled your rifle?"

"Well, I don't know," said Mark. "I hope not."

"So do I, sir," said Dan dreamily. "You see, it makes one feel uncomfortable about his 'bacco box and his knife. But oh, no, sir, I hope not," continued the sailor slowly. "It's true he's a bit too full of that jibber jabber of his as you calls language, but he's getting to talk English now, and since he's been what Mr Dean there calls more civilised I've begun to take to him a bit more as a mate. Oh, no, sir, he wouldn't collar your rifle; an' then as to his sneaking a bit of wittles sometimes, it arn't honest, I know, but he wouldn't take your gun, sir. Why, I put it to you; what good would it be to he? He could not eat that."

"No," said Dean, "but I have heard of savages getting hold of anything in the shape of a tube to turn into a pipe for smoking."

"Do they now, sir?" said Buck thoughtfully. "But of course he wouldn't want the stock, and it's a double gun. That'd be rather a 'spensive pipe, Dan, mate, for he'd have to have two bowls."

"Couldn't he stop up one barrel?"

"Here, I wish you two fellows would leave off chattering," cried Mark.

"Beg pardon, sir," said Buck, rather indignantly. "But it was Mr Dean who started that idea about the pipe."

"Oh, bother! Never mind; I want my rifle."

"That's right, sir; of course you do."

"And I am going to have it found."

"That's right, sir, too. Well, I hope you are satisfied, sir, that it was neither me nor Dan here as took it?"

"Of course I am."

"Then what about old Brown?"

"Oh, no!" cried the boys, in a breath.

"Look here, sir," said Buck, drawing himself up to his full height and seeming to swell out with some big idea; "it couldn't have been neither Peter Dance nor Bob Bacon, 'cause they have got guns to use, and they both tells us lots of times that a gun has been a sort of plaything to them ever since they was babbies."

"Of course," said Mark huffily. "There you go, again, telling us what we know."

Buck hit himself a sharp slap in the mouth as much as much as to say, "I've done"; and the little sailor grinned and said, "And then about old Mak and little Pig: you can't sarch them, because there's nothing to sarch."

"Ah!" cried Mark. "I had forgotten all about that. I know now."

"Hooroar!" said Dan. "He knows now! Found out where you have put it, sir?"

"No, Dan. What about that dark thing that we saw crawling through the clearing the other night, and which neither of us was sure about?"

The little sailor answered by bending his knees and then bringing his right hand down with a tremendous slap upon his right thigh.

"That's it, sir. You've got it. Nigger crawling up from outside come pickling and stealing. See that, messmate?"

"What d'you mean?"

"Well," said Dan, "it must have been some black beggar from outside come creeping up at night to see what he could smug."

"Yes, Dan," cried Mark, eagerly.

"Well, I'm blessed!" cried Buck. "And--and--and--" He looked first at one lad and then at the other, as he rummaged first with one hand and then with the other in his pockets, and then with both together, before turning savagely upon Dan and roaring out, "Here, who's got my knife?"

"Well, not me, messmate. Here's mine;" and laying hold of the short lanyard about his neck he hauled out his big jack knife from inside the band of his trousers. "You don't call that yourn, do you?"

"Na-ay!" growled Buck. "Wouldn't own a thing like that. Mine was made of the best bit of stuff that ever came out of Sheffield."

"Only a Brummagem handle, though," said Dan.

"Never mind about the handle," growled Buck. "I wouldn't have lost that knife for anything--almost as soon lost my head. You know what a good one it was, Mr Mark, sir. Why, you might have shaved yourself with it, sir, if you had waited till you was grown up."

"Here, none of your chaff, Buck. You can't joke easily. I know I have got no beard, but when it does come I hope it won't come carroty like somebody's."

"Carroty, sir? Not it! Last time I see my mother it had growed while I had been away three years, and she said it made her feel proud, for it was real hauburn."

"Well, never mind about your beard, messmate," said Dan, in a deep, gruff voice. "Do you feel sure as you have lost the knife?"

"I feel sure that it's gone in the night, along of Mr Mark's rifle."

"What, out hunting together?" said Mark, laughing.

"Well, good companions," said Dean. "One shoots the game, and the other skins and cuts it up."

"I don't quite see what you mean, gentlemen," said Dan; "but it seems to me, Mr Mark, that you and me see the beggar that comes hanging about and that sneaked your gun and his knife."

"Yes," said Mark, "that's it; and I feel sure that if we come to look about we shall find lots of other things are gone."

"Yes, sir," said Dan, "no doubt about it, and we have got the right pig by the ear, Mr Mark. I don't mean our little Pig, but you know what I do mean; and now, I don't like to take too much upon myself, sir."

"Take an inch, Dan; take an ell. You being a sailor, take as many fathoms as you like, only find my gun."

"That's just what I'm going to try and do, sir, and old Buck's knife too, if I can; so if you will allow me, gentlemen, I'll just make a propogishum."

"Go ahead then, and be smart, before old Brown gets here. Yonder he comes."

"Well, it's just this way, gentlemen. I say, let's get our two niggers here, and don't let them think for a moment as we 'spects them, but drum it into their heads somehow as something's missing. Teach 'em same as you would a dog, and show them a rifle and a knife, and tell them to seek. I don't quite know how you are going to make them understand as it's a black who crawled up in the night, but I daresay you two clever gents will manage that."

"And what then?" cried the two boys, in a breath.

"What then, sir? Strikes me as them two, the little 'un and the big 'un, will turn theirselves into traps, and we shall wake up some morning to find that they have got the thief as they caught in the night."

"Well done, mate! I didn't think you had got it in you," growled Buck.

"Bravo!" cried the boys together. "Splendid!"

"Now then," said Mark, "the next thing will be to take the two blacks into our confidence. Hold hard; there's Brown." _

Read next: Chapter 33. The Lost Rifle

Read previous: Chapter 31. An Explosion

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