As soon as he
heard Frank mention the name he had of course surmised that the
pretended hunting expedition was merely a blind to cover a bold dash
to recover the ivory, though how they were to discover its
whereabouts he could not imagine till, by prying and listening, he
learned that they had a map of the locality of the stolen stuff.
He had then dispatched native canoe-men to Muley-Hassan and apprised
him of the coming of the boys, and Diego had been at once sent out
by the Arab to secure possession of the map if possible and, failing
that, to destroy the boys' canoes. That the aeroplane would also
have been put out of commission there is little doubt, if Diego or
Wiseman could have found an opportunity. The brutal Arab could then
have disposed of the expedition at his leisure. But the Golden
Eagle II was too closely guarded for the two spies to be able to
harm it.
The Kroomen porters attached to the camp had, as old Sikaso had
forecast, fled into the jungle at the first attack of the Arab's
followers and they did not put in an appearance till long after the
marauders had left the camp.
But what puzzled the boys, as they stood facing the Arab with
Professor Wiseman's scream still ringing in their ears, was "What
had become of the old warrior.
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