Dick Merriwell's Pranks Part 63

"In the end I will have you, and the enemies I hate shall be swept from the face of the earth. Somewhere up this river the end of the struggle must come. After that, you and I will hasten away to some better land.

Your brother shall be spared, and we'll take him with us. In time you will learn to admire the man who never rested until he had crushed his enemies."

"Admire you? You are insane to fancy such a thing! I despise you! I loathe you! To me you are like a venomous serpent! Had I ever entertained for you a spark of pity, you have quenched it. Where is this man Medjid Bey? Let me talk to him."

"As you like," said Bunol, lifting his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders. "It will give you no satisfaction. I will send him here."

Bowing gracefully, he retired from the cabin.

After a moment Nadia started up, a wild light in her eyes. She faltered a bit, then swiftly crossed to leave the cabin. The man she had so often seen watching her in Cairo entered and blocked her path.

"You-you are Medjid Bey?" she breathed.

"That is my name, lady."

"You own this yacht?"

"The _Kayala_ is mine."

"Do you know what you are doing?"

"I think so."

"You are committing a crime! I have never harmed you. I am a helpless girl. You look like a gentleman. I appeal to your manhood, your honor!

Before it is too late, turn back and set me free. Have no part in this wicked deed. Bunol has lied to you. He has led you to think he has been wronged. It is false! He is a scoundrel of the blackest dye, and he has committed all the wrongs. My brother is back there in Cairo. He will be distracted. My friends are there. They will be pained. Take me back-please take me back! I beg-I entreat--"

She fell on her knees, seeking to clasp his hands.

"My dear lady, I beg you rise. It pains me to see you thus distressed."

"You will listen? You will take me back to my friends?"

"I will take it into consideration. In the meantime do not fear for your personal safety. No harm shall befall you while you are on the _Kayala_.

I give you my word. Do nothing rash, but wait and trust."

He was anxious to get away, and he bowed low once more, hastening from the cabin.

Nadia fell at full length on the floor.

"Heaven protect me!" she moaned. "He will do nothing, and I am in the power of Miguel Bunol!"

CHAPTER XXIX-THE PURSUIT ON THE RIVER

It was night in Egypt. The silver moonlight fell on the s.h.i.+ning, silent Nile, its low sh.o.r.es lined with shadowy palms. Up the Nile a small excursion steamer was spluttering and throbbing, showing its lights.

It was a strange and unusual hour for a steamer to be moving on that portion of the Nile, where but few steamers are ever seen. Traffic on this river is carried on mainly with the aid of _dahabeahs_, which are immense combined sail and row boats, having a low forward deck and a large cabin aft.

Forward, near the pilot house of the little excursion steamer, there were a number of persons. They were conversing in low tones and keeping a sharp outlook ahead and on either side.

d.i.c.k, Brad, Professor Gunn, and Dunbar Budthorne were there. There were also two others in the party, and these were Colonel Stringer and John Coddington.

"There's a deep shadow over yonder in the bend of the river, pard," said Buckhart, in a low tone. "They may be lying in there somewhere."

Immediately d.i.c.k turned to the man at the wheel and gave an order. The course of the steamer was changed and she headed toward the shadow that lay in the bend of the river. The pilot ran as near as he dared, on account of the shallowness of the water. He then informed d.i.c.k that they could not go in farther.

"I think it is near enough," said the boy. "We can see now. There's no yacht lying in there."

The pilot declared it impossible that a small yacht should lie hidden from their view anywhere in the shadowy s.p.a.ce, and d.i.c.k told him to head up the river again and get into the channel, from which both sh.o.r.es could be watched.

In order to make sure they did not pa.s.s the yacht for which they were searching, it was necessary at times for the steamer to make a sinuous, winding course from side to side, the river being wide in many places.

This steamer was one of two excursion boats which made trips from Cairo far up the river to the ruins of ancient Thebes and other spots of historic interest.

d.i.c.k Merriwell had lost little time after learning from Dunbar Budthorne that Nadia had been carried up the river in the private yacht of the strange Turk. He formed his plans rapidly and went to work.

The first thing was to decide on some method of pursuit, and he quickly concluded that they must follow in a yacht or steamer.

No yacht could be secured, and so he sought for a steamer. One of the boats was up the river. The other, and smaller one, had just returned from a trip and was advertised to leave again in two days.

d.i.c.k had no small difficulty in finding the captain, but this he finally accomplished. The captain was a Swede. At first he seemed to think the American boy was crazy, but it did not take Richard Merriwell long to convince that Swede of his sanity and earnestness.

The captain stated that he must have a sum representing nearly a hundred dollars a day for the use of his boat. d.i.c.k agreed to pay it. The captain grinned and asked him where he was going to get so much money.

Then the American lad flashed a purse, the clinking sound of its contents causing the eyes of the Swede to glitter.

"How much advance money do you demand?" asked d.i.c.k.

The captain said he would require two days' pay.

"And then you will be ready to start--"

"It's night now," said the Swede. "Ay be rady to start in mornang."

"You must be ready to start in just sixty minutes," said d.i.c.k.

"Ay can't do it."

"If you are ready to start in sixty minutes I'll pay you this amount extra."

The boy laid down four pieces of money.

"Ay be rady," said the captain, taking up the money.

In the meantime Professor Gunn had met and told Colonel Stringer, and the colonel had carried the story to his English friend, Coddington.

These men were eager to join in the pursuit of Nadia's captors. They were on hand when d.i.c.k and Brad appeared and announced the securing of the steamer.