Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 183: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘‘__and of and tell him to take care of my horse, Big "Un. But, mind you, you’ve got to wash and change before I sit down with you. ! You look like you’d been dragged through the offal heap at Macombe’ skraal. And why’s the place looking like a pig stye?”’ Isaacs grinned. “Till go and change now, ——, an’ I'll bathe, too. You sit down and have a talk with missioner. He’ll tell you all about it.” Three hours later Dixon, looking greatly refreshed, mounted his horse ready to ride after the column of the expedition. He was holding the reins of the missionary’s horse, Miles having suddenly decided to return to his mission, and, as they followed the. same trail for a matter of six or seven miles, he had asked Dixon to wait for him. “Hurry up!” Dixon shouted. ‘“Won’t be a minute,” Miles answered. He was having a few parting words with Isaacs’ servants at the back of the store. Isaacs, who was seated on the top step of the stoop, his elbows on his knees, his chin resting on the palm of his hands, grinned. “He’s a foony man, Dixon. He always trys to convert my boys vhen he comes here an’ then apologises to me for doing it. But he’s a nice fellow. He’ll be.a big man some day.”’ “Tf he ever is, it’ll be because of you, Big Un. You’ve done wonders with him.” ‘“Nunno,”’ Isaacs interposed hastily. “He had it in him all the time. He only needed to be shown the vay, that vas all. But he ain’t nearly so mealie-mouthed, is he ——?” “No,” Dixon agreed. ‘An’, come to think of it, you don’t curse as much as you used to do. Getting religion, Big ’Un?” ‘“Nunno,” Isaacs giggled. “I’m losing money. I give him a shilling every time he hears me swear—an’ he counts the smallest words, mind you, Dixon. An’ he gives me a shilling every time he talks business to me.” “Business?” “Sure! Professional religion stuff.” The two men laughed quietly, then Isaacs sobered. “But you von’t forget, vill you, Dixon, to look around at the packs of them expe- dition fellows?”’ Dixon nodded. “Tl keep a sharp lookout, but you’re dreaming nightmares, Big 7Un. This here Gonzales, now. I know he’s a rotter—he’s Gideon!” 165 an ivory poacher and probably a slaver. But the business you’re thinking of is an international affair, and what bloomin’ chance has a used-to-be country like Por- tugal against us?” “Oh, vell. Maybe you’re right—maybe you're wrong. Keep your eyes peeled, that’s all. And, Dixon, you’ll come back this way and tell us all aboutit, von’t you?” “Of course, Big ’Un. round here for a few days.” “Fine! And Dixon ve’ll have a elephant hunt while you’re here. The big fellows are getting too familiar “i At that moment Miles appeared, walked briskly over to his horse and mounted. “Been doing a little missionary work with your boys, Big ’Un,” he said. ‘Hope you don’t mind?” Isaacs waved his hands to signify that that “was no never mind” to him. _ “S’long,” Dixon said. ‘“T’ll be over to- morrow night sure.” “Tl wait skoff for you. S’long, mis- sioner. Don’t be so long between visits; my boys’ll backslide if you vait too long.” A final waving of hands and the two men spurred their horses and cantered., easily down the trail. For a long time Isaacs did not move, but sat hunched up, gazing fixedly in the direc-. tion of Misongwe—as if attempting to project himself into the future and see what play Fate was going to produce at the kraal of the chief—comedy or tragedy? Going to stay -— fy THREE days passed and Isaacs AwAl,| Was without word of Dixon. His YNY native servants and the natives ~ of the kraals were also without information. For once the bush telegraph was silent; the big signal drums at Misongwe did not answer to the querulous tapping queries from the smaller kraals—they were mutes. Still more disturbing to Isaacs was the fact that the two messengers he had sent to bring him word of Dixon had not re- turned. Isaacs was badly worried and when, in the late afternoon of the third day, word came to him that the messenger he had sent to Inyati was held up by a flooding river, he resolved to put an end to his idle conjectures by riding over to Misongwe and finding out for himself just what was what. Once his mind was made up, it did not comiclbool CO