zation of the
defeated force, Wilmshurst directed his attention to the object of the
expedition--the saving of the seaplane.

West African natives are as a rule good carpenters and blacksmiths, and
the Haussas were no exception. Under Wilmshurst's directions they set
to work to dismantle the machine, removing the planes as carefully and
expeditiously as a party of crack mechanics from the Royal Air Force
factories. One of the floats was badly smashed, but the other was
practically intact except for a small jagged hole in the three-ply
mahogany.

In a couple of hours the machine was ready for transport across five
miles of bush country, although, fortunately, the ground was fairly
level.

A pair of mountain gun wheels on a broad base-line had been brought for
the purpose, and the chassis, engine included, was rested on the axle.
Relays of men steadied and propelled the heavy load, others armed with
axes and entrenching spades going on ahead to clear the path. Other
parties transported the floats and planes, while advance and rear
guards and flankers were thrown out to guard against a possible
surprise, while an escort had to be provided for the prisoners.

With frequent halts it was not surprising that the rate of progress was
roughly one and a half miles an hour, and it was close on sunset when
the rescued seaplane arrived at the banks of a small river, where the
Waffs, having struck camp in the vicinity of Gwelba, had only just
marched in.

Colonel Quarrier was delighted with Wilmshurst's report and personally
complimented him upon the way in which he had accomplished the
difficult task with which he had been entrusted, and also the brilliant
little action, which was quite unexpected.

"Pity you didn't either plug or capture that worthless scoundrel
MacGregor," he remarked, for there was now no doubt about the utter
faithlessness of the supposed Rhodesian. "A man like that will cause
more trouble than a dozen machine-guns. I suppose, in the course of
former conversations with him, you did not detect any trace of a
foreign accent?"

"None whatever, sir," replied Dudley.

"Or mannerisms?"

Again the subaltern replied in the negative.

"I can only hope," continued Colonel Quarrier, "that the fellow isn't
an Englishman. It is just possible that he is of German nationality,
and that long years of residence either in Great Britain or the
colonies has enabled him to totally suppress his Hunnish accent and