Page 161 - Adventures in Africa

Hans walked on ahead without speaking; but as
he was never very talkative, we were not surprised at
this. A t last he turned round, and told Jan that he

must carry his leopard* ski a.
W e thought this too much of a good thing. Jan

appealed to us*
“ Certainly not," answered Harry. “ You claimed all
the skin as your property; You are bound to carry

it, or leave it behind if you like, but jan shall not be
compelled to carry it."

Hans turned round and walked on sullenly, but
presently I saw him drop his burden3 and then present
his rifle at Harry. Fearing* that Hans was about to

murder my friend, I dashed forward and struck up
the weapon, which the next instant went off, the

bullet almost grazing Harry's hat.
“ We must overpower the man/' I said, making a
sign to Jan, and wc all three threw ourselves upon

him, and prevented him drawing his knife, when he
would, I suspect, have run amuck among us, as the

Malays frequently do when exasperated.
How to treat the madman— for such he appeared to
be— it was difficult to say. He was immensely strong,

and we had to exert ourselves to keep him down, jan
proposed to kill him, and was drawing his knife for
the purpose when we interfered.

“ We shall have to do it, I fear, if we cannot bind
his hands behind him/' said Harry.

(< No, no ; we must deprive him of his'rille and am­
munition, and he will thus be compelled to follow us/'
“ If he wanders away into the desert, his fate will

be certain,” observed Harry,