The River of Darkness; Or, Under Africa

by William Murray Graydon

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE ALARM.

  They rushed upon deck again as soon as the steamer was beyondrifle-shot. A distant roar, like the blended shouts of thousands ofpeople, floated across the water from the town, and at intervals a shotwas fired.

  Smoke no longer hovered over the garrison. The last man had succumbed,and with the fall of the garrison the massacre seemed to have come to anend. The uprising had been directed against the British troops alone.

  "This is a terrible thing," said Melton, "and there is something back ofit all. I can't understand it. Can it be possible the wretches havedesigns on Zaila, I wonder? It's a pity you interfered with thatleopard, Chutney. If Makar Makalo had perished, this revolt might neverhave broken out. Makar is at the head of it, I know, and possibly he hasinfluence behind him. He is an ally of that fanatical despot, Rao Khan,the Emir of Harar, who hates the English worse than poison, and----"

  Guy started at the mention of this name.

  "I want to see you a minute, Forbes," he cried excitedly; and, leadingMelton to one side, he pulled out the despatches from his pocket, andsaid, "You have come closer to the truth than you imagine. I am goingto confide a secret to you, and you can tell what had best be done.These papers were intrusted to me for delivery into the hands of SirArthur Ashby, at Zaila, and they contain instructions bearing on thevery matter you have just mentioned. The authorities at the colonialoffice in London told me in secret that the Emir of Harar was supposedto be plotting the capture of Zaila, and these despatches contain SirArthur's orders in case of that emergency."

  "By Jove, that explains it!" cried Melton. "The emergency has come. Isee it all. Makar had collected his Arabs and Somalis at Berbera by theEmir's orders, and they were only waiting the arrival of that villainousPortuguese with the rifles. They have put the garrison at Berbera out ofthe way, and now they will march on to Zaila."

  "Then what can be done?" demanded Guy. "Shall we proced to Zaila, or getthe captain to steam direct for Aden and collect all the availabletroops?"

  "No, no," groaned Forbes. "That would be useless. Zaila is sixty milesup the coast. We can beat the Arabs, and get there in time to preparethe town for defense. The garrison is wretchedly small, but they willhave to hold out until assistance can come from Aden."

  Melton was still more astounded when Guy told him of the stealing ofthe despatches.

  "Then Torres knows their contents," he said, "and he will actaccordingly. This is certainly a bad business, Chutney. Those papersmust be delivered to Sir Arthur as soon as possible, though, to tell thetruth, I fear Zaila is doomed. But we are losing precious time.Something must be done at once."

  They called the captain aside, and told him just enough to impress himwith the danger threatening Zaila, and he readily fell in with theirplans.

  Twilight was now falling, and by the time darkness had settled over theblue waters of the gulf the steamer was plowing her way steadilynorthward, Berbera but faintly visible in the rear by the glow of theburning torches.

  Hour after hour they steamed on. Neither Guy nor Melton could sleep, butsitting aft on camp stools they talked in whispers of the dread eventsthey had witnessed, and of what might be before them.

  At midnight the steamer came to a sudden stop. The machinery, exerted tothe highest pressure, had broken in some part. A delay was inevitable,the captain assured them, but in a couple of hours the repairs could bemade.

  Morning came, revealing the distant yellow line of the African coast,but still the steamer lay at anchor, rocking gently in the earlymorning breeze. It may be imagined with what a fever of impatience Guyand Melton lived through those weary hours.

  It was nearly midday when the repairs were completed, and the vesselforged ahead again. For fear of fresh accidents, the captain refused tocrowd on steam, and when at last the turrets and brown walls of Zailacame in view, it was late in the afternoon.

  At a distance, all seemed peaceful; the English flag was floating fromhalf a dozen different buildings of the town. In the harbor lay three orfour Arab dhows and a neat little steamer, which the captain saidbelonged to the governor, and was used for transporting troops ordespatches.

  Captain Waller anchored close by the town, and accompanied Guy, Melton,and Momba on shore in a small boat. So far, at least, all was well.

  A few Arabs and Somalis were sitting around lazily on the sand, andtroops of the Bombay Infantry were seen moving about the streets.

  "Appear as unconscious as possible," whispered Melton. "Let nothing besuspected."

  A close observer might have detected traces of suppressed curiosity onthe faces of the Arabs and Somalis, but they were evidently deceived bythe careless manner of the new arrivals, for after a keen scrutiny theysettled back into lazy attitudes.

  "I don't like the looks of those fellows," said Melton, "and anotherthing I don't like is the presence of those Arab dhows in the harbor.But look, Chutney, there is the residency ahead of us."

  They were approaching a low building of sun-baked brick, with Venetianawnings at the entrance and windows. Half a dozen sentries were onguard, and an officer came forward to meet the little party.

  Guy saluted.

  "I am the bearer of important despatches for the governor of Zaila," hesaid, "and must see him at once."

  The officer disappeared for a moment, and presently came back andannounced that the governor would see them. They were ushered in througha wide hall, and, passing half along its length, they turned to theright, and found themselves in the presence of Sir Arthur Ashby. He wasa very pompous looking man of middle age, with reddish mustache, andlong side whiskers. He was seated on an easy chair beside an ebonytable. Opposite him sat an English officer.

  They were smoking cigars, and on the table were glasses and champagnebottles packed in ice. Lamps were lit, for already twilight was falling.

  He half arose as his visitors entered, and then dropped back. Guybriefly introduced himself and party, and handed Sir Arthur thedespatches, explaining how the seals came to be broken, but making nomention of Torres.

  The governor knit his brow as he read them over, and then, to hiscompanion, he remarked lightly, "All nonsense, all nonsense. Anothergovernment scare, Carrington."

  "I beg your pardon, Sir Arthur," said Guy, "but I was informed in Londonof the tenor of those despatches. Yesterday afternoon the Arabs atBerbera massacred the garrison to a man, and are doubtless now marchingon Zaila. We barely escaped with our lives. Captain Waller and Mr.Forbes and his servant will confirm my statement."

  Sir Arthur sprang to his feet with a sharp cry.

  "What is this you tell me?" he gasped. "Can it be true?"

  Guy repeated his account, with all the particulars, but the governoractually seemed incredulous.

  "Colonel Carrington," he cried, "how many troops have we?"

  "Five companies of the Bombay Infantry," replied the colonel in a hollowtone. "We had six yesterday, but if this account be true----"

  "Don't delay a moment," shouted Sir Arthur; "prepare for the defense,colonel, and see that the steamer is ready in case it comes to theworst."

  The governor's condition was now truly pitiable. He was trembling withfright.

  "There is indeed but little time," said Guy. "There is danger at yourvery door. I see many Arabs and Somalis in the town."

  "True, true," groaned Sir Arthur, and, turning over the despatches withtrembling hands, he added, "I am instructed to order troops from Cairoand Suakim. What madness! What madness!"

  Sir Arthur continued to talk in a rambling, excited way until ColonelCarrington assumed control of affairs.

  "Your steamer is here now?" he said to the captain. "Then you must makehaste to Aden, and bring us what troops you can. I doubt, though, if wecan resist a heavy attack for twenty-four hours. And you, gentlemen, youwill return on the steamer?"

  "No, we will remain," Guy and Melton replied almost in one voice.

  The colonel glan
ced at them approvingly.

  "You are brave men," he said. "Stop!" he added suddenly. "You say youleft Berbera at sunset last night, and were delayed by an accident. Werethere any camels there?"

  "A caravan of two thousand arrived two days ago," replied Melton.

  The colonel's face paled.

  "Then the enemy are due here now," he said huskily. "On camels theycould traverse the sixty miles in from fifteen to twenty hours. It isalready dark," and he pointed out through the window.

  At this Sir Arthur groaned aloud, and tossed down three or four glassesof champagne in rapid succession.

  "To your steamer, quick!" cried the colonel, addressing Captain Waller;"and you, gentlemen, since you decide to throw your fate in with ours,come with me, and we will inspect the fortifications, and do what littlewe can."

  They had risen to their feet, and were giving a hasty look to theirarms, when a bright flash lit up the gloom from without, followed by asharp report, and at the same moment, from all quarters of the town,rose a continuous rifle-firing, a violent uproar and shouting, and adeep beating of drums.

  Sir Arthur sprang to his feet, crying frantically, "To the steamer, tothe steamer--it is our only hope;" but before he could take a step theouter doors were burst open, shouts were heard in the hall, and then,through the curtained entrance, staggered blindly an officer ofinfantry, his uniform torn and disheveled, and blood pouring from half adozen wounds. He plunged forward, and rolled in a lifeless heap at thevery feet of Colonel Carrington.