The Blind Lion of the Congo Part 7

"Quinine," he explained, although he called it "queeneen."

"Pretty big dose, wasn't it?" asked Mr. Wallace.

"'Bout fifty grain," replied the other calmly, to the intense astonishment of the boys. "Fever gets me bad down here on the coast. By cripes, ye're a lucky beggar!" he continued as they came in sight of John standing guard over their valises. "That's your man Was.h.i.+ngton?

I've heard o' him. They say he's a magneeficent cook."

"Better than that," laughed Mr. Wallace. "He'll take charge of your blacks and get real work out of 'em. Do you mean what you said about going up the Aruwimi?"

"Aye." Montenay nodded. "We'll talk that over later. Ye'll be wantin'

yer mosquito nets, so better bring the stuff down to the _Belgique_.

We'll sleep on board her to-night."

As they had stayed at the hotel the night before, the boys had not been troubled much by the insects. They were much more worried by the quant.i.ties of quinine that Mr. Wallace insisted on their taking. When Burt had protested at taking ten grains all at once his uncle had laughed.

"Nonsense! I'm running this trip! Why, it's nothing unusual for men to take seventy and eighty grains out here. So put it down and shut up or I'll send you back home!"

They found the _Belgique_ to be a small but comfortable little steamer manned by a crew of a dozen blacks and a Swiss pilot. The _Benguela_ came up the river that afternoon and the smaller steamer was placed alongside her. By special arrangement with the customs people the boxes belonging to Mr. Wallace were slung right out to the deck of _La Belgique_. Here John was in charge of the blacks and under his heavy-handed rule the cases were rapidly stowed away.

Mr. Wallace and the boys got out all their personal equipment at once.

The heat was intense and the boys naturally suffered from it greatly at first, although the two older men did not seem to mind it in the least.

By the next afternoon their loading was completed and the _Belgique_ headed upstream without further delay.

Their five days' trip got the boys inured to the heat somewhat. They never tired of watching the tropical forest on either bank of the river and the strange craft that plied around them. Although there were many other steamers and State launches as well as trading companies' boats, there was no lack of dugouts and big thirty-foot canoes laden with merchandise from the trading posts. The two explorers lay back in their canvas chairs and recounted their experiences in strange lands, while the boys listened eagerly as they watched their new surroundings.

The water-maker, as John called it, was installed the first day out. The boys found their cook to be all that Mr. Wallace had stated and more, while Captain Montenay was so delighted that he laughingly offered John exorbitant wages to desert the American, but in vain. The _Belgique_ made stops for wood only and after four days they arrived at the mile-wide mouth of the Aruwimi River.

On the fifth day they arrived at Yambuya, just below the great cataracts which stopped further navigation. Here the two experienced explorers unloaded the chop-boxes, tents and other supplies and proceeded to make arrangements for hiring bearers. This was accomplished through the local chief with the aid of the government representative, who was an Italian.

Indeed, the boys found that not only were Belgians and French employed all through the country, but men of every nationality, from "remittance men" of England to Swiss and Cubans.

After a two days' delay at Yambuya the caravan was formed. It consisted of one hundred Bantu porters under the directions of a head-chief who spoke French fairly well, as do many of the natives. Besides the porters there were tent boys, skinners, gun-bearers and cooks to the number of thirty. Captain Montenay spoke Bantu to some extent and all the orders were given by him direct while the river trip was continued.

The expedition started from the other side of the cataracts in five immense dugout canoes paddled by the porters. For the white men had been provided a small antiquated launch with which the canoes were easily able to keep up.

"Well," said Mr. Wallace as they puffed away from the sh.o.r.e, "the real trip's begun, boys! We'll arrive at Makupa to-morrow and then up to the Makua!"

"Makupa?" exclaimed Captain Montenay. "Why, that's only a hundred and fifty miles up! Well, we can talk it over later. John, fill a canvas tub. I feel the need o' havin' a bath."

And Captain McAllister Montenay's bath was the first indication that the boys received of the Blind Lion.

CHAPTER VI

THE MARK OF PONGO

The folding tubs they all used were more like little canvas rooms, open at the top. The crew of their launch consisted of two Bantus. One of these helped John fill the tub by the simple method of standing on a chair and pouring water on the head of the occupant of the tiny chamber after his clothes had been thrown out.

The boys were watching the proceedings and intended to follow the captain's example. As he finished he told the Bantu boy to hand him his clothes and stretched out an arm through the slit in the canvas walls.

As it happened, this opening faced the boys.

The Bantu held up the bundle of clothes. As Captain Montenay took them the boys saw the black recoil suddenly and sink to his knees with a low groan, his face gray. Burt immediately leaped to his feet and caught the Bantu but the latter thrust him away and staggered back to the engine.

Here he sank on a locker and buried his face in his knees.

"Well I'll be jiggered!" exclaimed Burt half angrily. "What's the matter with him?" He was about to call his uncle who was up under the forward awning when Critch caught his arm.

"Shut up!" the red-haired boy whispered excitedly. "Come over here."

When they reached the rail he turned on Burt. "Didn't you see it, you chump? What's the matter with you, anyway?"

"Me?" gasped Burt, bewildered by this sudden attack. "Say--"

"Thought you saw it sure," interrupted his chum hurriedly. "Didn't you see Cap'n Mac's arm?"

"No," returned Burt shortly. "Like any other arm, ain't it? I was lookin' at the sick n.i.g.g.e.r."

"Sick nothin'," retorted Critch. "Cap'n Mac's got a shoulder on him enough to scare a cat! When he shoved the canvas back I could see it all twisted up an' dead white, with a big red scar on the corner o' the shoulder. That n.i.g.g.e.r wasn't sick--he was scared!"

"Scared!" Burt stared at Critch and then turned to look at the Bantu boy crouched on the locker. "Golly! Mebbe he is! Say, what was the scar like?"

"Looked to me like a cross but I didn't see it well. Come on, we'll ask the c.o.o.n. He talks French some."

They stopped beside the Bantu. The second black was sitting in the bow at the wheel and had noticed nothing. Critch took the black by the shoulder and gave him a shake, while Burt addressed him in French.

"Wake up, boy! What scared you?"

The Bantu gave one terrified shudder and his eyes were rolling wildly as his head came up "Pongo! L'embleme de Pon--" he began with a frightened gasp and then stopped. His face resumed its normally blank expression and he glanced around quickly.

"What's Pongo?" questioned Burt. "What do you mean by the sign of Pongo?"

"No savvy, m'sieu, no savvy." The Bantu shook his head and absolutely refused to say another word in spite of threats and commands.

"Come on," said Critch disgustedly. "He's wise to something but he won't let on. There's Cap'n Mac. Shut up."

They rejoined the captain and Mr. Wallace in the bow. Evidently the Scotchman had neither seen nor heard anything unusual, for he at once plunged into discussing plans with Mr. Wallace.

"Look here," he said finally. "I can't give up that cook o' yours, Wallace! Ye've got a good Scots name too. S'pose we make one party?"

"One party!" exclaimed Mr. Wallace. "I thought you were going more to the east?"

"Aye, but I ain't over parteec'lar. Mind, I'm no sayin' I'll go clear to the Makua wi' ye, but I may."

"Here's John with the dinner," said Mr. Wallace. "We'll talk it over while we eat. Looks mighty good to me, Montenay! I'd like you to go with us if you will."

"h.e.l.lo, what's this stuff?" cried Burt as he leaned over his bowl and sniffed suspiciously. John stood by with a triumphant grin.

"Smells good," commented Critch. Captain Mac, as they had come to call him, winked at Mr. Wallace.