The Boy Slaves Part 35

A majority of the Arabs were under the belief that the black sheik had started at last for his own country, satisfied with the revenge he had already taken. They seemed to think that keeping watch over the camp would no longer be necessary.

With this opinion their Krooman captive did not agree; and, fearing to fall again into the possession of Golah, he laboured to convince his new master that they were as likely that night to receive a visit from the black sheik as they had ever been before.

He argued that, if Golah had entertained a hope of defeating his foes, eleven in number, when alone, and armed only with a scimitar, he certainly would not be likely to relinquish that hope after having succeeded in killing nearly half of them, and being strengthened by a couple of able a.s.sistants.

The Krooman believed that Golah's going south, as reported by the party met at the well, was proof that he really intended proceeding north; and he urged the Arab sheik to set a good guard over the _douar_ through the night.

"Tell him," said Harry, "if they are not inclined to keep guard for themselves, that we will stand it, if they will only allow us to have weapons of some kind or other."

The Krooman made this communication to the Arab sheik, who smiled only in reply.

The idea of allowing slaves to guard an Arab _douar_, especially to furnish them with fire-arms, was very amusing to the old chieftain of the Saara.

Harry understood the meaning of his smile. It meant refusal; but the young Englishman had also become impressed with the danger suggested by Terence: that Golah would yet kill all the Arabs and take the boy slaves back to Timbuctoo.

"Tell the sheik that he is an old fool," said he to the interpreter; "tell him that we have a greater objection to falling into the hands of Golah than he has of losing either us or his own life. Tell him that we wish to go north, where we can be redeemed; and that for this reason alone we should be far more careful in guarding the camp against surprise than any of his own people."

When this communication was made to the old sheik it seemed to strike him as having some reason in it; and, convinced by the Krooman's arguments that there was still danger to be apprehended from Golah's vengeance, he directed that the _douar_ should be strictly guarded, and that the white slaves might take part in the duty.

"You shall be taken north and sold to your countrymen," promised he, "if you give us no trouble in the transit. There are but few of my people left now, and it is hard for us to travel all day and keep watch all night. If you are really afraid of falling into the hands of this Prophet-accursed negro, and will help us in guarding against his murderous attacks, you are welcome to do so; but if any one of you attempt to play traitor, the whole four of you shall lose your heads. I swear it by the beard of the Prophet!"

The Krooman a.s.sured him that none of the white slaves had any desire to deceive him, adding, that self-interest, if nothing else, would cause them to be true to those who would take them to a place where they would have a chance of being ransomed out of slavery.

Darkness having by this time descended over the desert, the sheik set about appointing the guard for the night. He was too suspicious of his white slaves to allow all the four of them to act as guards at the same time, while he and his companions were asleep. He was willing, however, that one of them should be allowed to keep watch in company with one of his own followers.

In choosing the individual for this duty, he inquired from the Krooman which of the four had been most ill-used by the black sheik. Sailor Bill was pointed out as the man; and the interpreter gave some details of the cruel treatment to which the old man-o'-war's-man had been subjected at the hands of Golah.

"Bismillah! that is well," said the sheik. "Let him keep the watch.

After what you say, revenge should hinder him closing his eyes in sleep for a whole moon. There's no fear that he will betray us."

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE.

GOLAH CALLS AGAIN.

In setting the watch for the night, one of the sentinels was stationed on the sh.o.r.e about a hundred yards north of the _douar_. His instructions were to walk a round of about two hundred paces, extending inward from the beach.

Another was placed about the same distance south of the camp, and was to pace backwards and forwards after a similar fas.h.i.+on.

Sailor Bill was stationed on the land side of the camp, where he was to move to and fro between the beats of the two Arab guards, each of whom, on discovering him at the termination of his round, was to utter the word "_Akka_" so that the sailor should distinguish him from an enemy.

The Arabs themselves were supposed to be sufficiently intelligent to tell a friend from a foe without requiring any countersign.

Before Bill was sent upon his beat the old sheik went into a tent, and soon after reappeared with a large pistol, bearing a strong likeness to a blunderbuss. This weapon he placed in the sailor's hand, with the injunction, translated to him by the interpreter, not to discharge it until he should be certain of killing either Golah, or one of his companions.

The old sailor, although sorely fatigued with the toil of the day's journey, had so great a horror of again becoming the property of the black sheik, that he cheerfully promised to "walk the deck all night, and keep a good look-out for breakers," and his young companions sought repose in full confidence that the promise would be faithfully kept.

Any one of the boy slaves would willingly have taken his place, and allowed their old comrade to rest for the night, but Bill had been selected by the old sheik, and from his decree there was no appeal.

The two Arabs doing duty as sentinels knew, from past experience, that if the kafila was still followed by Golah, they would be the individuals most exposed to danger, and this knowledge was sufficient to stimulate them to the most faithful discharge of their trust.

Neither of them wished to become victims to the fate which had befallen their predecessors in office.

For two or three hours both paced slowly to and fro; and Bill, each time he approached the end of his beat, could hear distinctly p.r.o.nounced the word "_Akka_" which proved that his co-sentinels were fully on the alert.

It so chanced that one of them had no faith in the general belief that the enemy had relinquished his sanguinary purposes of vengeance.

He drew his deductions from Golah's conduct in the past, and during the long silent hours of the night his fancy was constantly dwelling on the manner in which the dreaded enemy had approached the _douar_ on former occasions.

This sentry was the one stationed to the south of the _douar_; and with eyes constantly striving to pierce the darkness that shrouded the sand-plain, the water, on which a better light was reflected, received no attention from him. He believed the _douar_ well protected on the side of the sea, for he had no idea that danger could come from that direction.

He was mistaken.

Had their enemies been, like himself and his companions, true children of the Saara, his plan of watching for their approach might have answered well enough; but the latter chanced to be the offspring of a different country and race.

About three hours after the watch had been established, the sentinel placed on the southern side of the _douar_ was being closely observed by the black sheik, yet knew it not.

Golah had chosen a singular plan to secure himself against being observed, similar to that selected by the three mids for the like purpose soon after their being cast away upon the coast.

He had stolen into the water; and with only his woolly occiput above the surface, had approached within a few yards of the spot where the Arab sentry turned upon his round.

In the darkness of the night, at the distance of twelve or fifteen paces, he might have been discovered had a close survey been made of the s.h.i.+ning surface. But there was no such survey, and Golah watched the sentinel, himself unseen.

The attention of the Arab was wholly occupied in looking for the approach of a foe from the land side; and he was in continual fear of hearing the report of a musket or feeling the stroke of its bullet.

This disagreeable surprise he never expected could come from the sea, but was so fully antic.i.p.ated from the land, that he paid but little or no attention to the restless waves that were breaking with low moans against the beach.

As he turned his back upon the water for the hundredth time with the intention of walking to the other end of his beat, Golah crept gently out of the water and hastened after him.

The deep sighing of the waves against the s.h.i.+ngly sh.o.r.e hindered the sound of footsteps from being heard.

Golah was only armed with a scimitar; but it was a weapon that, in his hands, was sure to fall with deadly effect. It was a weapon of great size and weight, having been made expressly for himself; and with this upraised, he silently but swiftly glided after the unconscious Arab.

Adding, the whole strength of his powerful arm to the weight of the weapon, the black sheik brought its sharp edge slantingly down upon the neck of the unsuspecting sentinel.

With a low moan that sounded in perfect harmony with the sighing of the waves, the Arab fell to the earth, leaving his musket in the huge hand his a.s.sa.s.sin had stretched forth to grasp it. Putting the gun to full c.o.c.k, Golah walked on in the direction in which the sentry had been going. He intended next to encounter the man who was guarding the eastern side of the _douar_. Walking boldly on, he took no trouble to avoid the sound of his footsteps being heard, believing that he would be taken for the sentry he had just slain. After going about a hundred paces without seeing any one, he paused, and with his large fiercely gleaming eyes strove to penetrate the surrounding gloom. Still no one was to be seen, and he laid himself along the earth to listen for footfalls.

Nothing could be heard; but after glancing for some moments along the ground he saw a dark object outlined above the surface. Unable, from the distance, to form a correct idea of what it was, he cautiously advanced towards it, keeping on all-fours till he could see that the object was a human being, prostrate on the ground, and apparently listening like himself. Why should the man be listening? Not to note the approach of his companion, for that should be expected without suspicion, as his att.i.tude would indicate. He might be asleep, reasoned Golah. If so, fortune seemed to favour him; and with this reflection he stealthily moved on towards the prostrate form.

Though the latter moved not, still Golah was not quite sure that the sentry was asleep. Again he paused, and for a moment fixed his eyes on the body with a piercing gaze. If the man was not sleeping, why should he allow an enemy to approach so near? Why lie so quietly without showing any sign or giving an alarm? If Golah could despatch this sentinel as he had done the other, without making any noise, he would, along with his two relatives (who were waiting the result of his adventure), afterwards steal into the _douar_, and all he had lost might be again recovered.

The chance was worth the risk, so thought Golah, and silently moved on.

As he drew nearer he saw that the man was lying on on his side with his face turned towards him, and partly concealed by one arm.

The black sheik could see no gun in his hands; and consequently there would be but little danger in an encounter with him, if such should chance to arise.