Wilmshurst of the Frontier Force

palm trees. At some distance from the highway the country was thick with scrub, from

ds of native carriers, each bearing a load of about sixty pounds, while crowds of nat

miles. At a long distance from the shore, so that she appeared little larger than a boat, lay the transport Zungeru, rolling sluggishly at a single anchor, while

of his rifle carefully wrapped in oiled canvas to prevent injury from salt water. In batches of twenty the Waffs left their native soil, but not before three bo

getically assisting their black passengers on board with encouraging shouts of "Up with you, Sambo!" "Mind your nut, Darkie!" and similar exhortations. The while

shurst went below to the two-berthed cabin which he was

avoid a sweeping blow with a knotted towel which his b

athlessly. "Come in and bear a

of apprehension the sight of the disordered cabin. "Lo

, blankets and mosquito nets had been torn from the bunks, while a smashed water-bo

t of this valise. I'll swear that rascal of a servant of mine knows all about it. I had to give him a dressing do

he door open?" s

leam of grim determination in his eyes. "No jolly fear

roller made of teak, forming

lowermost bunk. "I was stowing some of my gear away when I spotted him. After five minutes' strafi

ned the drawer. Like most drawers on board ship and frequently elsewhere it jammed. By frantic up and down mov

er all. He must have effected a stra

drawer half open. Instantly there was a vision of

Mister Rat. At the same time Laxdale moved his hands along the ledge o

xclaimed W

ent. Deliberately he relieved Dudley of the towel-rolle

brute now?" h

ed roof of the cabin betrayed the rodent's temporary hiding-pl

eplacing his "double-pith" headgear. "Now, I'll shake the bath and you

el. It might have been efficacious if the subaltern had been engaging in

d man," sugg

ly to the floor, its edge descending heavily upon Dudley's foot. Again a momentary vision of the leaping rodent, then,

"There'll be a big bill for 'barrack

ss formed by the bulkhead of the cabin and the fixed

Now you're cornered. No use

hat he had not yet found his sea-legs. A roll of the ship made him lose his balance, and he pitched head foremost into the rodent's retre

and discarding the tunic, for by the time his compani

now thoroughly excited a

tested Dudley firmly as he pus

ember of the "Lone Star Crush" appeared, enquiring,

ed Laxdale hurriedly. "Ei

wipe the streams of perspiration fro

ou fellows look like a pair of Littl

and another of the "One Pip" officers made his appearance. "Look alive, Danvers, an

d my batman hasn't unpacked my aluminium traps. Judging by appearances, by Jov

resting-place on the none too rigid top of a cabin trunk. Each man kept his feet carefully clear of the floor, while four pairs o

he brute out?" s

fuses point blank to let me use his raiment of neutral colour as a door-mat. I might add that if you've ever had the e

d Spofforth. "Look here, if you fellows want to be re

le, as a knock sounded on the jalo

arl in search

sinner," said Wilmshurs

," replied the Haussa saluting. "

is cabin-mate, knowing that Mu

ulprit," declared Laxdale.

ered Wilmshurst, addressing t

act counterpart of himself. It would be a difficult matter f

oundrel, by putting a rat int

" expostulated Laxdale's servant. "Me play,

was still in the desolated cabin; then slowly but without any signs of furtiveness the rat pushed his head between the folds o

ly round the little animal, and to the astonishment of the fo

s, sahs!" he explained. "No pu

med Dudley as a bugle rang out. "Dash it

ated the cru