CHAPTER V
CIMBULA WEAVES A PLOT
"Dan, I am going to post you here at the edge of the cliff," said DickOakwood. "Stay hidden among the rocks, or some sniper will take a shotat you."
"Don't worry, Dick, I'll keep out of sight," said Dan.
"And if you see any sign of attack in the Arab camp, let out a yell ofalarm."
"You're telling _me_? Nobody will have to ask me to do that littlething."
"The rest of us are going to be busy getting ready for the nightattack," Dick explained. "We have to assemble the two tribes, selectthe best men for the battle and see to it that they have plenty ofarrows and other weapons."
"Okay. You've given me a soft job," said Dan. "I can play sentinelall day. Now if I only had a big bunch of dates to eat and a good bookto read--" he added laughing.
"Say, you'd make a great soldier," cried Dick. "You're the sort ofsoldier that goes to the guard house for the duration of the war."
"Go on. I was just kidding!"
"Well, big boy, this is serious. Here, I'll lend you the binocularsand you keep your eyes on the Arabs down there. If they start to climbthe cliffs, we will roll big rocks on them and give them something toremember us by."
But the Arabs seemed satisfied to take things easy for a while.
Dan took the binoculars and after a brief survey of the Arab camp,began to search the horizon in all directions.
"I was just thinking," he explained, "that this would be a great timefor my dad to make his appearance in the cabin plane."
"No such luck, Dan! Don't even think of it. I made your fatherpromise to leave the tribes to me without interference."
"I'm hoping he may shorten the time of even forget that he made such apromise," said Dan. "Gee! Wouldn't it be great to see that big planecome sailing toward us?"
"With white men and guns to chase off those Arab slavers!" Dick added."Yes, it would be fine, Dan. But don't expect it. Your father andmine are busy on the Pomegranate Oasis. They don't dream that we arein danger."
"That's right! Wouldn't it be wonderful if people could send word bytheir thoughts. A kind of human radio."
"There is something like that," said Dick Oakwood. "It is calledtelepathy, but not much is known about it. People who have the giftcan send or receive messages sent by another person's mind."
"Aw go on. Quit kidding!"
"I'm not kidding. Lots of Hindu mystics in India have the gift."
"Well if I had it, I would send a hurry-up call to Ray," said Dan."I'd say, 'Sister get busy and tell everybody on the Oasis that we'rein danger. Load up the cabin plane with rifles and get here beforewe're all killed.'"
"Listen, Dan, you're not going to get killed, and I don't like to hearyou talk that way. Snap out of it, boy! We're going to put up a fightthat will make those Arabs wish they had never bothered us."
"You can count on me," said Dan.
The Boy King shook his friend's hand and clapped him on the shoulder,then turned away to organize his force of tribesmen. Dick summonedRaal and ordered, "Look over all the Taharans. Pick out the best menfor tonight's attack and tell them what they are to do."
"I hear, I obey, O Tahara."
"Good. And let no man be idle. Even those who are wounded, but ableto work, must keep busy. They can make arrows and spears, for we willneed plenty of weapons."
"Yes, O Master."
Dick summoned Kulki.
"What about your Gorols? Are they all assembled?"
"Not all, Master. Some have strayed off to the woods. They are nottrained to obey like the Taharans."
"Round up all you can find," said Dick, "and make sure that only thereliable men are chosen for the raid."
"Yes, Master."
"Send out others to collect pitchwood for torches and stones to rolldown the cliff. Every man must do something useful."
"I hear, O Tahara."
"I would speak to Wabiti, your father."
"He is not here, Master," said Kulki. "Wabiti is old and his thoughtsare not as ours. He has gone away into the woods."
"If Wabiti is up to mischief, it will go hard with him," said Dick."Are your brothers faithful to me?"
"I think so, Master. If I knew that one was a traitor, I would slayhim with my own hands."
There was no doubt of Kulki's loyalty. His primitive features and darkeyes expressed the eagerness to serve the Boy King of the two tribes.
"It is well," said Dick.
"Tonight the Arabs will be driven to defeat and shameful flight beforethe moon rises. Let every man be ready."
"All will be ready to die for you, O Tahara!"
Dick turned away to look after Kurt and the other wounded warriors andfound that they were being tended by old women of the tribes who wereskilled in treating cuts with medicinal leaves.
Kurul had come through with only slight scratches and was in attendanceas his body guard.
"I need no guard," said Dick. "You Kurul, take six of the fleetestwarriors and hunt in the hills for game. Before sunset we will all eatand drink to build up our strength and as soon as it is dark we willstrike a blow that will rid the land of our enemies."
With all these preparations for battle, the day passed swiftly. Dick'smain worry was that Jess Slythe might appear in his stolen monoplaneand drop bombs upon the tribesmen as he had done before. Of course hisfears might be groundless. Dick was not sure whether the fellow wasstill alive or whether his plane had crashed in the desert, but untilhe was assured of the man's death, he would have reason to fear him.If Slythe should reappear and drop grenades on the tribesmen, thatwould give the Arabs a chance to storm the cliffs without resistance,and would lead to the destruction of the natives and his own death aswell.
But the treacherous flyer was busy elsewhere, it seemed, for the_Meteorite_ did not appear, and as the sun sank low, Dick breathed morefreely and gave orders for the last meal before the battle.
Down in the Arab camp, Abdul and Suli were also watching anxiously forthe plane and cursing Jess Slythe, who had disappointed them.
"By the beard of the Prophet!" cried the Arab chief, "that dog hasbetrayed us."
"What trickery can he be up to?" mused Suli, staring for the hundredthtime at the heavens.
"Allah alone knows what the knave is doing! But it is for no profitbut his own."
"How can he expect us to storm these cliffs without his help?"exclaimed Abdul.
"We would be crushed by stones and pierced by arrows," said Suli."Nothing for it but to wait until tomorrow. Today, it is too late toeven try."
"We will send out scouts to see whether there is an easier passagebeyond the cliffs.--A way where we could go up on our horses and takethe savages by surprise."
"They are stubborn, hard-fighting fellows," said Suli. "By theProphet, Abdul, we will find it hard to make slaves of such men."
"You are right. They are not like the black fellows we have capturedin the past. These men were not born to be conquered. We will have tofight for all the profit we make in this venture."
The two leaders of the Bedouin slave traders scowled at the cliffs thatloomed so high above the spring where they had camped. From the grimblack edges, arose a fringe of smoke; the fires where the Gorols andthe Taharans were roasting game for the feast before the battle.
The sky had turned flaming red, the glory of the sunset was over thedesert and a deliciously cool breeze followed the parching heat of theday.
At the same time the old Gorol Chief, Wabiti, was squattingcross-legged in the rude shelter where the ex-queen Vanga had takenrefuge. Both of the former rulers had repeated their grievances andgrumbled about the changes in the tribe until they were in a mood ofrevolt.
"If only I had my warriors again!" muttered Vanga.
"And if I could lead my brave Gorols, as I did when I was younger,things would be different!"
"Tahara brought us woe!"
"He destroyed the Great Gorol!"
"Now
he sets me to spinning and weaving! Is that fit work for a queen?"
"And he has made Kulki leader in my place," growled Wabiti. "Only afew Gorols obey my orders, and they are the weaklings of the tribe."
"We have come upon evil days, O Wabiti."
"Evil days, O Vanga. I do not hold with these new weapons like bowsand arrows."
"Nor I. When Cimbula was my chief adviser, all was happy in the land."
"Would that Cimbula were here," grunted Wabiti.
Suddenly as if he had been waiting to be called, the witch-doctorleaped from the shadowy forest and capered in a wild dance before them.
Cimbula was arrayed once more in the brightly-colored head-dress offeathers and tufts of fur on his elbows, knees and ankles. His leanold body was streaked and daubed with paint and around his eyes, oneblind and one sound, were painted scarlet rings that gave him ahorrible appearance.
In one hand he brandished a long stone knife, in the other he held thepainted gourd filled with pebbles, which he rattled menacingly.
"Who calls Cimbula?" he shouted hoarsely. "Lo, as I was floating inthe skies, I heard my name spoken and I come!"
Again he leaped high and the gourd sounded like a nest of angryrattlesnakes as he shook it.
Vanga and Wabiti shrank back in superstitious dread, while the oldqueen's maidens gave shrill and penetrating screeches of terror.
"Cimbula! Have mercy!" they screamed, and Wabiti's followers among theGorols came running and stopped suddenly, held back by fear, cryinghoarsely, "Cimbula! Cimbula, do not destroy us!" Vanga spoke her mind.
"We called the mighty Cimbula because strange enemies have driven usfrom our caves."
"Show me the enemies," bellowed Cimbula. "I will slay them all."
His one eye glared hatred and defiance and his flint blade swishedthrough the air.
"Tahara could not save us," said Vanga. "Since he came here, ourtroubles have multiplied."
"Never before have raiders swarmed upon us from the desert," growledWabiti.
"They have driven us from our caves," shrilled Vanga.
There were mutters of assent from the listeners, while Cimbula glaredsilently as if planning some deadly reprisal.
Then among the growling murmurs rose the clear protesting voice of thelittle maiden Veena.
"Why do you speak evil of Tahara? He fought the Arabs. He is a mightywarrior. Even now he gathers the tribes to drive off the enemy!"
Instantly there was an uproar.
Cimbula vented a bellow of rage. The Gorols with Wabiti howled inprotest and Vanga cried sharply,
"Be still. Who asked _you_ to speak?"
"I _must_ speak. Tahara is good. He alone can save us."
"We shall see!" snarled the witch-doctor. "I, Cimbula, will drive awaythe foe."
"Cimbula, hal! Cimbula!" cried the rest.
"This very night I will show you that Cimbula is mighty in magic. See,already, the sun has set. Soon it will be dark. I will show you allthat where Tahara fails, Cimbula wins."
The witch-doctor laid violent hands on the terrified Veena and wrenchedher arms until she screamed with pain.
"You shall come with me!" he shouted. "The blood of a maiden isrequired to mix the strong magic I am brewing tonight."
Veena's screams were drowned by the chanting of Wabiti's Gorols and theshrill cries of Vanga's women.
"Take her, Cimbula! She is yours!"
"Cimbula, hal!" boomed the Gorols, and the ex-queen Vanga added: "Deathto Tahara!"
Tahara Among African Tribes Page 5