"Ah!" said Jake, with some dryness. "Then you had better take me; anyhow,
I'm coming."
"I'd much sooner you didn't."
"That doesn't count," Jake replied. "You're getting after somebody, and
if you leave me behind, I'll give the plot away. It's easy to send a
rumor round the camp."
Dick reflected. He saw that Jake meant to come and knew he could be
obstinate. Besides, the lad was something of a seaman and would be useful
on board the launch, because Dick did not mean to join the steamer
Kenwardine traveled by, but to catch another at a port some distance off.
"Well," he said, "I suppose I must give in."
"You've got to," Jake rejoined, and added in a meaning tone: "You may
need a witness if you're after Kenwardine, and I want to be about to see
fair play."
"Then you trust the fellow yet?"
"I don't know," Jake answered thoughtfully. "At first, I thought
Kenwardine great, and I like him now. He certainly has charm and you
can't believe much against him when he's with you; but it's somehow
different at a distance. Still, he knew nothing about the attacks on you.
I saw that when I told him about them."
"You told him!" Dick exclaimed.
"I did. Perhaps it might have been wise----"
Jake stopped, for he heard a faint rustle, as if a bush had been shaken,
and Dick looked up. The moon had not yet risen, thin mist drifted out of
the jungle, and it was very dark. There was some brush in front of the
building and a belt of tall grass and reeds grew farther back. Without
moving the upper part of his body, he put his foot under the table at
which they sat and kicked Jake's leg.
"What was that about Adexe?" he asked in a clear voice, and listened
hard.
He heard nothing then, for Jake took the hint and began to talk about the
coaling station, but when the lad stopped there was another rustle, very
faint but nearer.
Next moment a pistol shot rang out and a puff of acrid smoke drifted into
the veranda. Then the brushwood crackled, as if a man had violently
plunged through it, and Jake sprang to his feet.
"Come on and bring the lamp!" he shouted, running down the steps.
Dick followed, but left the lamp alone. He did not know who had fired the
shot and it might be imprudent to make himself conspicuous. Jake, who was
a few yards in front, boldly took a narrow path through the brush, which
rose to their shoulders. The darkness was thickened by the mist, but
after a moment or two they heard somebody coming to meet them. It could
hardly be an enemy, because the man wore boots and his tread was quick
and firm. Dick noted this with some relief, but thought it wise to take
precautions.