e ground.

A quarter of an hour later, there came a tap upon his door and Mahomet
Ali, his sergeant, entered.

"Ah, Mah'met," said Hamilton, looking up with a smile, "all things were
quiet on the river my lord Tibbetts tells me."

"Lord, everything was proper," said the sergeant, "and all people came
to palaver humbly."

"What seek you now?" asked Hamilton.

"Lord," said Mahomet, "Bosambo of the Ochori is, as you know, of my
faith, and by certain oaths we are as blood brothers. This happened
after a battle in the year of Drought when Bosambo saved my life."

"All this I know," said Hamilton.

"Now, lord," said Mahomet Ali, "I bring you this."

He took from the inside of his uniform jacket a little canvas bag,
opened it slowly and emptied its golden contents upon the table. There
was a small shining heap of sovereigns and a twisted note; this latter
he placed in Hamilton's hand and the Houssa captain unfolded it. It was
a letter in Arabic in Bosambo's characteristic and angular handwriting.

"From Bosambo, the servant of the Prophet, of the upper river in
the city of the Ochori, to M'ilitani, his master. Peace on your
house.

"In the name of God I send you this news. My lord with the
moon-eye, making inquiries about the N'bosini, came to the Ochori
and I told him much that he wrote down in a book. Now, I tell you,
M'ilitani, that I am not to blame, because my lord with the
moon-eye wrote down these things. Also he gave me twenty English
pounds because I told him certain stories and this I send to you,
that you shall put it in with my other treasures, making a mark in
your book that this twenty pounds is the money of Bosambo of the
Ochori, and that you will send me a book, saying that this money
has come to you and is safely in your hands. Peace and felicity
upon your house.

"Written in my city of Ochori and given to my brother, Mahomet Ali,
who shall carry it to M'ilitani at the mouth of the river."

"Poor old Bones!" said Hamilton, as he slowly counted the money. "Poor
old Bones!" he repeated.

He took an account book from his desk and opened it at a page marked
"Bosambo." His entry was significant.

To a long list of credits which ran:

Received L30. (Sale of Rubber.)

Received L25. (Sale of Gum.)

Received L130. (Sale of Ivory.)

he added:

Received L20. (Author's Fees.)

CHAPTER IV