ake their rifles and bandoliers. "Those are Arabs beyond
any question. There's only one thing they are here for, and that's the
ivory and gold."

With a troubled look, the doctor watched them.

"You don't mean that they'd fight for it, General?" asked Charlie,
pausing. "Are you joking or do you mean it?"

"Mean it?" repeated the explorer, his bronzed face hardening. "Why,
boys, there's a fortune in that stuff there! Do you think for a minute
that those Arabs are going to give it up to us, or that I'm going to
hand it over to them? Not much! We've got it and we'll keep it while we
have a cartridge left!"

The Indians grinned, while they loaded their own Sniders, Gholab taking
one of the heavy Hammonds. Schoverling took command of the situation,
while the boys gazed at each other in dismay, knowing that he would
never give in, and not relishing the idea themselves of either fighting
or giving up the treasure that lay there in the sun before them.

"Bakari! Come here. Gholab, you see that the cattle are led inside this
old stockade, which will keep them under cover from shore at least.
Bakari, post your men to north and south in the bushes fronting the
mainland. Do you understand? But don't loose an arrow or spear until I
tell you. Got that?"

The Masai understood well enough, and his fierce eyes glittered at the
thought of battle with the Arabs, whom every native hated with good
reason. The oxen were led inside the half-burned stockade and left to
themselves.

"Now, Doctor," and Schoverling's voice was very keen and cold, "this
isn't your funeral, you know. If we have a row with these fellows you
had better keep--"

"You are crazy as a loon, yes!" roared the big Teuton with a smile.
"Would we gife up all dis?" and his hand swept toward the tusks. "Never,
mine friends! I like not to fight, und maybe we don't fight, but ve vill
not gife up,--nein!"

At this emphatic declaration the explorer smiled grimly. A look showed
Charlie and Jack that the camels were almost to their old camp above the
lake, opposite.

"If there's any chance to get out of it, General," said Charlie, "I
suppose you won't go huntin' for trouble?"

"Not I," returned Schoverling. "There are twelve of them and eight of
us, besides the Masai, but we've got the stuff and we've got a strong
position here. Well, come on down to the shore and we'll see what's
doing."

Five minutes later they stood in the bushes above the water. The Indians
Schov