With Wolseley to k.u.masi.

by F.S. Brereton.

CHAPTER ONE.

GREAT MISFORTUNE.

d.i.c.k Stapleton tossed restlessly on his bamboo bed, till the rickety legs creaked ominously and the mosquito net waved to and fro, threatening to descend upon his head. The heat was stifling. Inside his room the thermometer stood at an unusual height, even for this Gold Coast country, where high readings are a common occurrence, and where hot nights are the rule rather than the exception. The windows of the house in which he slept, or vainly attempted to do so, were thrown wide open, but despite that fact, they admitted nothing but the deep and ever-recurring boom of the surf, which beats upon the sandy beach of the Fanti country without ceasing. Boom! Boom! The thunder of the waves seemed to shake even the land, while in his mind's eye d.i.c.k could see the spray rise high, and then fall back as white as milk, seething and foaming, to be swallowed by the next breaker as it curled its green crest on to the sand. Not a breath stirred on this sultry night. The leaves on the forest trees within a stone's-throw of the house made no movement. Nothing, in fact, appeared to have the energy for movement on this night save the myriad mosquitoes, which seemed to revel in the heat, and an occasional beast in the forest, whose piercing cry was wont at one time to startle our hero.

"Oh, for a breeze!" sighed d.i.c.k. "If only a cool wind would play into the room a fellow might fall asleep. This mosquito net stifles me, and yet I dare not throw it aside or I shall be well-nigh eaten. I feel, too, as if I had a little fever, and that is just the very thing I wish to avoid. I've work before me; difficulties to set aside, and--and affairs to arrange."

For some reason his hand sought for a box deposited beneath the bed, and his fingers touched the lock to make sure that it was closed.

"All that stands between me and starvation," said d.i.c.k. "Just a bare two hundred pounds in gold, a store almost depleted of goods, and two houses which no one seems to want. There's the business, too, and James Langdon."

For a while his thoughts went to the man whose name he had mentioned, and he brooded uneasily.

"He ought to go," he said to himself. "Father trusted him, I know; but I am sure of his dishonesty. He has been robbing the store for years, and he will rob me if I let him stay. He is a sneaking half-caste, a rogue who cannot be trusted, and if it were not for father he should be dismissed. Well, to-morrow I will go into the matter. I'm tired to-night. If only it were not so frightfully hot!"

d.i.c.k was peevish and out of temper. He had worked hard all day, and was very tired, for the heat had been great. And now that he had thrown himself on his bed he could not sleep. The old worries filled his mind, only instead of being lessened, the silence of the night, the droning insects, the shrill cries from the forests, and the deep boom of the surf, intensified his difficulties, till they sat upon his young shoulders like a millstone. Presently, however, he fell into a doze, and later his deep breathing showed that he was asleep. Asleep? No!

For he started suddenly and sat erect on his bed.

"I thought I heard something," he said in a whisper. "That was a step outside. Some one knocked against the chair on the platform and tipped it over. I don't like that noise."

He threw one leg half out of the bed and waited, for, to be candid, d.i.c.k had no liking for an encounter with some evil-doer in the small hours.

Then, mustering courage, he threw the mosquito net aside, rearranged it over the bed, and stealthily crept to the farther side. His hand sought the box which contained his worldly possessions, and tucking it beneath his arm he stole softly out on to the verandah. There was a brilliant moon, high up in the sky, and the silvery rays played softly upon the sandy beach, upon the crests of the breakers, upon the white street and the white houses, and upon the bush and forest which formed at this time the surroundings of Cape Coast Castle. There were deep shadows everywhere, and d.i.c.k's eyes sought them, and endeavoured to penetrate to their depths. He stood still and listened, though the thump of his fast-beating heart was all that came to his ears above the boom of the surf. That and the eternal droning of the insects which swarmed around.

No one seemed to be abroad this night, and yet--

"Some one was here," thought d.i.c.k, with conviction, as he stepped across the wooden platform, with its overhanging roof, which went by the name of verandah. "Here is the deck-chair in which I was sitting just before I turned in, and it is now on its side: I left it all right. And-- That's some one!"

He drew back somewhat suddenly, while his breathing became faster. For some one, an indefinite shape, a native perhaps, had stepped from one of the shadows and had peered at the verandah. Then detecting the white youth, he had vanished into the shadow again, as silently and as stealthily as any snake.

"I don't like that at all," thought d.i.c.k. "I'm alone here, and the people know that there is gold. They know that father kept his money in the house, and now that he is gone they must be aware that I have it.

I'll camp out here for the night. I wish to goodness I had gone down to the Castle and left this box under lock and key."

He stepped back into the room which he had just vacated, and felt along the wall till his hand hit upon a rifle. Then he sought for cartridges, and, having found a handful, tucked them into the pocket of his pyjamas, and one into the breech of his weapon. That done, he went on to the verandah, and, pulling his chair into a corner, sat down with the gun across his legs and the box beneath his feet.

"I could have slept," he grumbled. "But that's out of the question.

Some blackguard wants the money, and that must be prevented. Besides, these Fantis would knife me with pleasure. I don't care for the thought of that, so here goes for a night-watch, d.i.c.k Stapleton, my boy, you'll be anything but fresh tomorrow."

Had he been an older soldier, d.i.c.k would have remained on his legs, and would have patrolled the length of the verandah, and even shown himself beyond the house, out in the brilliant patch where the moon rays fell.

But he was only a young fellow, and, in addition, he was tired, f.a.gged out by work and anxiety. The heat told upon him, too, and the booming of the surf, instead of helping to keep him wakeful, seemed, now that he was outside his room, to lull him to sleep.

His excitement, and the forebodings which the strange figure had brought to his mind, soon calmed down and disappeared. His head drooped. A cool wind got up and gently fanned his heated cheek, and within half an hour he was asleep--far more deeply, too, than he had been when stretched beneath his mosquito net. He snored loudly and contentedly.

The gun slipped to the ground, and caused him to stir uneasily. But he did not awake. He slipped farther down into his chair, and slept the sleep of the exhausted, oblivious of his danger, forgetful of the vow he had made, and of the watch which he had meant to keep. And his snores, the click of his rifle, and the shuffle of his feet as he stretched them out, were as a signal to the rascal who lurked in the shadows. He slipped into the open and listened. Then he dropped on all fours, and stealthily crept towards the verandah. At times he was hidden in the deep shade cast by the many shrubs which surrounded the house, while at others he knelt fully outlined--a short, broad-shouldered savage, as naked as the day when he was born, dark grey in colour, and glistening under the moon's rays, for his body was freely anointed with oil. At such moments his pace quickened till he reached another friendly shadow, where he lurked for a minute or more, only the whites of his eyes showing occasionally as he stretched his head from the shade. Soon he was near the verandah, and seemed on the point of leaping the low rail which enclosed it, when an unearthly shriek--the familiar night-call of a forest animal--broke the silence, and set him trembling.

"I'd wring its neck!" he growled hoa.r.s.ely, while he wiped the beads of perspiration from his forehead. "The brute startled me, and may have awakened the young fool on the verandah. If it has--well, I must have the money. I must have it this night, too, and without further waiting.

To-morrow will be too late. He'll know the truth then. He's cunning, this young Stapleton--cunning. He's deep and too knowing, and he suspects. To-morrow the books will show what has been happening these five years and more, and then--"

His eyes rolled, and an oath escaped his lips, for he thought of the Castle, of the cell which would receive him, and of the labour to which he would be condemned.

"To-night or never!" he muttered. "And if the youngster stirs or attempts to hold me, why, there's something here to make him alter his mind. Something to stop him altogether, to shut his mouth, and keep his evidence from reaching the authorities."

The thought seemed to please him, for he sat back on his heels and gripped his revolver more tenaciously. But a moment later reflection brought some doubt to his mind, and his breathing became deeper and more hurried.

"They'd know," he said, with an oath. "They're bound to know, in any case, for I must go. Once I have the money, I must take to the forest, and trust to picking up a boat along the coast. Even then I shall have to wait for months, for there will be a hue and cry. I'll have to make for King Koffee's country, and take service with him. He'll remember who has been so good about the supply of guns and ammunition. Yes, I'll make for k.u.masi, and wait there till the storm has blown over. Ah! he's snoring again. I must be quick. The morning will be coming in a couple of hours."

The thought that he had a haven near at hand seemed to spur the miscreant on to his purpose, for he rose to his feet and emerged into the open, where the brilliant moon showed him even more clearly. It was obvious that he had purposely darkened his skin, for behind his ears, on the broad of his back, and on the palms of his hands were dusky-white patches, which he had omitted to cover. In fact, the robber who lurked so close to the house, and whose fingers grasped the revolver, was none other than James Langdon, whose name was uppermost in d.i.c.k Stapleton's mind. This thief, who came stealthily in the night, was the half-caste manager of the store which d.i.c.k's father had kept for many a year in Cape Coast Castle. Short and squat he appeared in the moon's rays, but the light was insufficient to show what manner of man he actually was.

Had it been lighter one would have seen a heavy, ugly face, with thick lips and splayed-out nose, telling unmistakably of his negro origin.

Crisp, airly locks, jet black in colour, covered his head, while some straggling hairs grew from his upper lip. The brows were low; the eyes too close together, while the thickness of the lips alone seemed to denote a cruel nature. James Langdon was, in fact, far from prepossessing in appearance, while he bore a character which was none of the best. He had a dusky complexion, sharp, white teeth, and that whiteness of the eye which belongs to a native.

For years he had acted as Mr Stapleton's manager, and tales were whispered in the place that he robbed his employer, that he had dealings with the natives of the interior which, had they come to the knowledge of Mr Stapleton or to the ears of the authorities, would have gained for him instant dismissal, and in all probability imprisonment. But Mr Stapleton had never suspected, and the apathy of the officials had caused them to disregard rumours. And so it happened that James went on with his peculations and his illicit trading till d.i.c.k came out to the Gold Coast, just four months before, and at once plunged into the business with the intention of mastering every detail. Gradually, as the books and the working of the store became familiar to him, d.i.c.k had begun to suspect, and then had become almost certain of the fact that the manager was dishonest.

"I'll make sure first of all," he had said. "I am new to ledgers and journals, and, in fact, to trade of any sort, and it is possible that I may be mistaken. I'll go through the entries again, so that there shall be no room for doubt."

Unconsciously his manner had altered to the manager. He was too honest to be on familiar terms with a man whom he suspected of robbing his father and as a result James guessed that he was found out, that this young Englishman regarded him with suspicion. He would have fled the place then and there had he had the means. But he had long since spent all his ill-gotten wealth. He remained, therefore, and while still contemplating the step, went on with his work as if he had nothing to fear. A few days later a sharp bout of fever, not the first which he had suffered by any means, attacked Mr Stapleton, and to d.i.c.k's inexpressible grief he succ.u.mbed.

"Then I must go," said James Langdon, and with that he promptly decided to rob the son and decamp.

Only a week had pa.s.sed since Mr Stapleton's death, when the half-caste proceeded to put his plan into execution; and there he was, disguised in order that d.i.c.k should not recognise him, naked and well smeared with oil, so that if his young employer happened to awake and endeavoured to detain him, his grip would instantly slip from his body.

"He's fast asleep, and now's the time," whispered James, running his fingers across his forehead to wipe the perspiration away. "I'll creep in and search for the box."

He stood to his full height and peered over the rail of the verandah at the sleeping figure. Then he hoisted himself over the low wall and stole along the wooden flooring. It took more than a minute to reach the door of the room which d.i.c.k had recently vacated, for the sleeper was evidently troubled with dreams, and he breathed and snorted heavily, each sound bringing the robber to a stop, and setting him shivering with apprehension, for this half-caste was a coward at heart. But at length he found himself within the room.

"Beneath the bed," he said to himself. "That's where his father kept the gold, and no doubt the young fool does the same. He'll have left the box there, and I shall be able to get it and slip away without discovery."

He was at the bed by now, and his arms were groping vainly beneath it.

An oath escaped him when he discovered that the box was gone, and he sat back on his heels trembling, and furious with disappointment.

"Perhaps he has moved it," he said at length. "He guessed that some one was about, else why did he go on to the verandah to keep watch, and why the gun? I'll strike a match and take a look round. First of all, is he quiet?"

He stole to the open door and peered at the rec.u.mbent figure, now half illuminated by the moon. He could see the head lolling forward, the hands and arms trailing to the floor, and the stock of the rifle. The legs and feet, and the box for which he sought, were still in the shadow.

"All's well," he thought. "A match will not awake him, and there is no one about to see the light."

There was a faint, rasping sound, and the glimmer of a flame lit the room. The half-caste searched each corner diligently till the match burned to his fingers. Then he flung it aside with an oath and rapidly struck another.

"Then he must have the box with him," he exclaimed hoa.r.s.ely, while the frown on his ugly brows increased as he realised that his difficulties were suddenly increased. "He's asleep. I'll capture the prize and run to the nearest shadow. If he follows--"

His fingers felt the lock of the revolver while he lifted the weapon and took aim at the moonlit doorway.

"I could hit him with ease, though I have never fired one of these before," he said. "Time's going. It must be done at once."

Bracing himself with the thought, the miscreant stole to the door, and then along the verandah till he was close to d.i.c.k. His hand went out to search for the coveted box, and then drew back suddenly, while the blood in his veins froze with terror. For d.i.c.k moved restlessly and spoke in his sleep. Had he discovered the attempt? Was he about to pounce upon the intruder? The doubt set the half-caste shivering till desperation lent him strength, and he levelled the revolver. His eyes shone strangely in the moon's rays as they fixed themselves on the unconscious youth, while the finger which lay on the trigger stiffened, causing the hammer to rise slowly into c.o.c.king position. Another movement would have been d.i.c.k's last. But the dream had pa.s.sed, the nightmare which had troubled him was gone, and he slept easily.

"I thought it was all up," growled the robber hoa.r.s.ely, to himself. "He startled me. There's the box."