Coomassie

“ Ammon Quatia was thoughtful for some time. “If they come,” he said at length, “the fevers will kill them. The white man cannot live in the swamps. Your friend, the white guest of the king, died at Coomassie.”
“Yes,” Frank asserted, “but he had been nearly a year in the country before he died. ”

“ There was also a multiplying Gatling gun for musketry.
It was here that letters came from Koffee, the barbarous Ashantee king, expressive of a desire for peace, but not on such terms as the general could grant after having come so far; thus the advance on Coomassie, the capital, was still resolved on. The only written language of the people is Arabic, and the only persons who can write it are Moors ”

“ A sigh of relief burst from the missionary’s lips as Koomalayoo continued. “I tell you, no. It is not the white men whose blood must atone for that of the dead chief—No.” All at once, whirling round as on a pivot, the arm and hand holding the gold rod fully extended, the diviner span round; then as suddenly stopping, the rod pointed right between Luji’s eyes. “It is the black skin who has come among us, with his familiar demon on his shoulders. Behold the worker of the charm! When the black imp leaped upon our brother among the warriors in council, he spit the venom into his ear. ”

“ Cookson was managing his affairs here alone, there came this letter from his twin brother, dying in India, and Cookson in his capacity of secretary of course read it. This put an entirely new complexion on the affair. But Mr. Cookson, far from being pleased, was furious that his chance of the big inheritance was gone—or going. And then a great temptation came to him. Uncle was far away and knew nothing of this letter. Why need he ever know? The brother was dying and could never benefit by it anyhow. The children might never survive the Indian climate, which is so hard on growing young people. ”

“ Cookson coming up the stairs, bound straight for that room. I hadn’t a doubt that he had finished sooner than I had expected, and, not finding the chest, was hurrying right to the next place to hunt for it—Uncle's room! It was a terrible moment for me. I could not make up my mind what to do—and so did nothing but wait for the coming catastrophe! I hope I shall never again be called upon to live through such a dreadful five minutes.
But, singularly enough, the unexpected happened! Mr. Cookson came along the hall, still on tiptoe, and at the door where I stood he stopped! ”

“ When we found Cooms lying in the hall with a hole through his stupid head, I told Baldy Perk it looked like Bad News had thrown in with the Star boys and done it. Know Baldy? He's Cooms' personal gun. Not what you'd call bright, and he's mighty hot now about Cooms. I left him in charge on our level, with orders to get Quillan the next time he shows up there. Well and good. The boys know Bad News' rep too well to try asking him questions. They won't take chances with him. They'll just gun him down together the instant they see him. ”

“ After a time, and with the aid of many old keys, he managed to open the chest and there discovered all the bonds and jewels that had been missing so long. But just at that time he received word from Uncle that he was re turning unexpectedly, as he was not very well, and would be home the next week. This finally decided old Cookson. He determined to find a new hiding-place for the chest (as Uncle might some time remember and explore the secret passage) and, by testing the wood work, he found a hollow space under the window-seat on the stair and concealed the chest there. ”

“ It seemed so awkward, so gawky of me to have offended in that way; a civilized human being doesn’t jar the harmony of a circle in an amusing old eating-{47}house by the Cancelleria—he is sensitive to the tone of the place. So Cooksey had it all his own way, and I sank in shame. He didn’t let me off, not a tittle; he heavily maintained his stare and his silence. ”

“ Is his voice heard at the council-fire to-night? Will his cry ever wake the echoes in the forest again? No. He went forth, on the first day of the moon, to fight the sneaking pale-faces, and yesterday he fell into an ambush, and the great warrior, Cosama the brave, the Quivering Spear, died by the hand of a squaw. Wah! The wigwam of Rice-stalk is empty; no more shall the voice of Cosama bid his woman go fetch the game in the forest; no more shall his boy run to meet him on the edge of the wood, and learn to be a brave at the sound of his voice. ”

“ To this the Cossack climbs by means of a ladder, and there he sits by day and by night watching the forest of reeds on the river banks, watching the level sweep of the steppe on either side, watching the opposite hills and mountains. Forlorn indeed would be the poor Cossack notwithstanding he has before his eyes the glory of the Circassian hills and the distant snow-summits mingling with the clouds, were it not for the bottle of schnapps by his side, and the stroking of his long moustache. For weeks and months he may watch without seeing a single Circassian. ”

“ Teena asked.
“We left them in the bay,” Roy, the portly man, said.
“I guess so,” Eddie said, smiling. “No one ever catches any fish out over the sand bar. The fish hang around in the deeper water.”
“Well, we don’t care much for fish, anyway,” Roy said.
“Then why do you go fishing?” Teena wondered.
“We do it to get away from kids who ask silly questions,” Simms said curtly. “Now beat it and leave us alone.” He tossed the two fishing poles onto the dock and climbed out of the boat. ”

“ She was worse than useless. Tomkins was nowhere to be found, and then I realized that this was no doubt his afternoon off and that he had gone to the village. Mr. Cookson was away, too, and so was Miss Carstair. I did have sense enough to call up the doctor at once. He wasn’t in, but his wife said she knew where he was and would telephone him to come immediately.
I had just decided to call up Mother and ask her to come right over, and had even taken down the receiver, when who should walk in at that moment but Miss Carstair. I never was so delighted to see any one in my life. ”

“ Eddie’s father said. “Although we don’t know just what they’re planning.”
“You will, you will,” said Captain Daniels. “But right now I’ve got to check my light. Darker’n a ship’s hold with a cargo of tar paper tonight, it is. Won’t be much to see—until things start poppin’. Might be a good idea to sit there in front of my cottage and watch down the coast. Just don’t light any matches, or make undue noise. If you spot any strange lights, things may start happening. I probably won’t see you for a while. Can’t stop the light unless I’m up top.” ”

“ Lady Mullinger had no misgiving, and she rallied him archly, she appealed to him, she bunched her untidy amplitude together to make room for him at her side. He looked at her sidelong with his bright eyes, and he took no notice of her advances beyond answering her large sloppy questions with a neatly worded phrase. She made the foolish mistake of coupling Father Holt and Cooksey together in her broadly beaming patronage; Cooksey was well aware that it was a mistake, and his assurance failed him. ”

“ The koomkies then go up to the saun and begin to caress him, one on each side, and sometimes another in front of him, when three decoys are employed. They caress him, make much of him, and gradually bring him near a stout tree, where they detain him. The hunters then creep under the huge animal, and pass stout ropes round his forelegs, binding them tightly together, being aided in this by the decoys, who place their trunks so that their masters cannot be seen, and sometimes even assist him by passing the rope when he cannot conveniently reach it. ”

“ Cookson!” I parried. “What on earth could there be in that hole! Or who would think of looking into such a place!” I couldn’t have made a more fortunate reply, for he straightway began to flounder.
“Oh, er—ah—yes, of course!” he stuttered confusedly. “It must—er—seem extremely queer. Nevertheless—er—a very important—ah—yes, a vital matter hangs on this very curious—er—question I’m asking.”
“Vital—to whom?” I couldn’t help querying. Now that I had plunged into the thing, I rather enjoyed seeing his discomfort, and I was gaining courage every minute. ”

“ Eddie called back over his shoulder. Teena followed as he went on toward the foot of the bluff.
“Hey, look,” Eddie said. “There’s a kind of path that zigzags up the bluff. I’ve never noticed that before.”
“It’s not much of a path,” Teena said, looking up the steeply winding trail. “And I don’t know why anyone would want to use it to get to this cove. It’s much easier coming up the beach.”
“But someone’s been using it,” Eddie said. “See how the ground’s stirred up. I can’t figure why anyone would want to land a boat in this cove, then climb up and down that bluff before going fishing. Can you?” ”

“ When Koojesse, who steered the boat, was directing our course away from the Kingaite side, and when I requested him to remain where I wished to make an examination, he curtly and even savagely replied, "You stop; I go." I was forced to smother my anger, and submit to the mortification of being obliged to yield before these untamed children of the icy North. Reflection has, however, convinced me that I can hardly blame them, as I then felt inclined. They are born free as their native wilds; they have no one to control or check them; they roam about as they will ”

“ Here in this dark grove dwells Comus, an evil spirit, who loves not the good. Here he finds the unlucky traveler and takes him to his court. There he offers [179] him food and a pleasant drink. But in the glass is a potion which drives memory from the mind and makes one forget home and friends. Then the unhappy traveler loses his human head and must have the head of some animal or bird. Comus enjoys seeing his victims act like wild and foolish animals or the forest.
In this dangerous wood the Lady Alice and her brothers are wandering, and my duty it is to protect them from the evil Comus. ”

“ Much of his father’s work at Oceanview College was of a secret nature. Eddie had learned not to ask questions about it. His father usually volunteered any information he wanted known, so Eddie stuck to questions which could and would be answered.
“We get vacations,” his father said. “But—well, my work is a little different, you know. At the speed atomic science is moving today, we simply can’t afford to waste time. But don’t worry. We’ll take a week or so off before school starts in the fall. Maybe head for the mountains with our tent and sleeping bags.”
“And Geiger counter?” ”

“ Teena gasped as they reached the base of the lighthouse. “There seem to be more steps every time we climb it.”
Eddie smiled and shifted the lunch sack to his other hand. “You’re getting old, Teena,” he teased.
“Welcome aboard, mates,” a deep, kindly voice spoke from nearby.
They turned and saw Captain Daniels standing outside the door of his living quarters, a tiny three-room cottage located about fifty feet from the base of the lighthouse.
“Oh, hello, Captain Daniels,” Teena called. “Sure glad you’re home.”
“Home?” the former sea captain said, smiling. “A lightkeeper is always home.” ”

“ Tomkins was to go with him, but she was to remain here with Connie, and she said I had better arrange to sleep over here too, so that we could all be company for each other in the big, lonely house. Of course, I knew, almost without asking, that Mother would want me too.
It was a strange supper that Miss Carstair and I had alone together that evening at Tranquillity. Mr. Cookson had complained of a headache and said he would just have some tea and toast in his room. Neither of us said much, though Miss Carstair tried very hard to be cheerful. ”

“ Mrs. Ross offered. “I know how boys detest doing dishes.”
“Oh, I don’t really mind, Mrs. Ross,” Eddie said. “Besides, Teena’s making sandwiches to take with us.”
“Another prospecting trip?” Teena’s mother glanced at the Geiger counter which Eddie had set carefully on the dinette table.
“I still think there must be some uranium around here,” Eddie insisted. “And we can find it if anyone can.”
“I agree,” Mrs. Ross said. “But even if you don’t find it, you both seem to enjoy your hikes.” ”

“ Obliged by Annette to have one—a Rollhard with pearl-grey cushions, electric light, little mirrors, trays for the ashes of cigarettes, flower vases—all smelling of petrol and stephanotis—he regarded it much as he used to regard his brother-in-law, Montague Dartie. The thing typified all that was fast, insecure, and subcutaneously oily in modern life. As modern life became faster, looser, younger, Soames was becoming older, slower, tighter, more and more in thought and language like his father James before him. ”

“ Eddie got the Geiger counter out of the closet. He told his mother how he had been wanting to try it out on Cedar Point. He told her about the dream he had had.
“Well, I guess you never can tell,” Mrs. Taylor said. “According to your father, uranium ore often shows up in most unlikely places.”
“Cedar Point isn’t so unlikely, Mom,” Eddie said. “There are lots of rock formations out there. Uranium ore is usually located where there are plenty of rocks.”
When Teena arrived Eddie was all set to leave. He wore swimming trunks under his blue jeans. ”

“ Coyote is wild dog. He is big coward unless pretty hungry. If I leave light burn he never come near us."
"Then let it burn—all night," said Mr. Merrick. "There he goes again—and another with him! What a horrible wail it is."
"I rather like it," said Patsy, with her accustomed calmness. "It is certainly an added experience to be surrounded by coyotes. Probably our trip wouldn't have been complete without it."
"A little of that serenade will suffice me," admitted Beth, as the howls grew nearer and redoubled in volume.
Myrtle's eyes were big and earnest. ”