"
"Oh, that's all right!" said Langley. "Meet me here to-morrow, just
after dinner."
Langley went back to camp, Ghamba looking after his retreating figure
with a smile that revealed his teeth in a very striking manner. Langley
was intensely excited, and exacted (quite unnecessarily) the most solemn
promises from Whitson not to divulge the great secret which he confided
to him. Whitson agreed at once to join in the enterprise, which was one
after his own heart.
Next day the three met at the big ant-heap, and Whitson was very
much impressed by Ghamba's teeth. He told Langley afterward that they
reminded him of a picture of the devil which he had seen in a copy of
"Pilgrim's Progress." The old man's story appeared, however, consistent
enough, in spite of his peculiar dentition.
So, after a short conversation, Langley and Whitson returned to camp,
having made an appointment to meet Ghamba again on the following morning
at sunrise, so as to finally arrange as to time of starting, etc. They
went at once to the officer in charge of the detachment and applied
for ten days' leave of absence for the purpose of proceeding to
Pietermaritzburg, which was at once granted.
Pages:
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116